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Other => Off Topic => Topic started by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 08:11:22 AM

Title: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 08:11:22 AM
I have slept on top of a Mayan pyramid.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 06, 2017, 08:22:00 AM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Louisville on October 06, 2017, 08:22:46 AM
I have slept on top of a Mayan pyramid.
Gotcha.
I did that at Tikal several years ago. I don't think they allow it there anymore.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: A Definite Beta Guy on October 06, 2017, 08:23:38 AM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.

Wait....what?

I think this one needs a story.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 06, 2017, 08:31:35 AM
I suspect quite a few thing related to biology field work...but a good example would be, climbed into a golden eagle nest and hand-captured the nestlings for processing.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Louisville on October 06, 2017, 08:33:52 AM
Climbed from the passenger seat to the roof of a moving car and laid face forward, holding on to the windows, while the driver took belly dropping hills and 60 mph country road straightaways.
I know no one else here has done that because no one else here is that stupid.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 06, 2017, 08:47:22 AM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.

Wait....what?

I think this one needs a story.


I was working at an insectary where we bread parasitic wasps that were sold to farmers as organic, environmentally friendly pest control.  The parasitic wasps needed hosts in which to lay their eggs.  The moths were bred on site, and the wasps would only infest a small percentage of them while they were larvae.  The clean larvae were moved into a grow room to eventually hatch into moths, which we kept alive until they bred.  After breeding it was my job to kill them.

The adult moths were kept in three foot by three foot trays about two or three  inches deep, stacked eight ft high . . . usually about 40 or so stacks.  I had to pile the trays onto a squeaky old cart, then bring them to the kill room.  This was all done in the poorly buzzing florescent light lit unpainted concrete back of the building.  I'd turn on the heat for a couple minutes, open all the trays, dump out the dead moths from the trays (stacked for reuse later), then shovel them into the incinerator . . . and then do it all over again.  All day long, every two or three days.  God help you if you dropped a tray of live moths . . . that was a multi-hour operation with a vacuum cleaner.

One of the guys I worked with once took some double sided tape, spelled "HELP ME" on one of the concrete walls, and then threw a shovel full of live moths onto it . . . so that when I walked by they were all still wriggling.  The whole place really had a kinda Nazi concentration camp vibe and was kinda fucked up.  I only lasted there a couple months.

Not good karma.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ketchup on October 06, 2017, 09:03:10 AM
Last November, I drove 100 miles home with nine free deer carcasses in my Hyundai Accent and spent several hours in my garage afterwards cutting them up, bones included.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: J Boogie on October 06, 2017, 09:06:54 AM
Last November, I drove 100 miles home with nine free deer carcasses in my Hyundai Accent and spent several hours in my garage afterwards cutting them up, bones included.

You fit nine deer in an Accent??? IN an Accent?? No roof rack, no trailer hitch rack?

I'm guessing the windows were down.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: LaineyAZ on October 06, 2017, 09:11:19 AM
Years ago I worked as a legal assistant.  One of the opposing parties had made a claim about the use of the word "Anonymous" in the title of a group.  My job was to write to all of the groups who use the word Anonymous, like Narcotics Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous, etc. and collect all of their literature to show that the word was already in use in many groups.  (this was pre-internet days)
I received replies in un-marked envelopes and collected them as evidence.  As the mail came in, the legal secretary who was aware of this project thought it was hilarious and said, "You're one sick chick!" 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Kris on October 06, 2017, 09:12:56 AM
Uh...

I have had sex in a gypsy caravan wagon in Poland?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: HPstache on October 06, 2017, 09:13:40 AM
I drove my car to the track, ran a 10 second quarter mile, and drove home.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: saijoe on October 06, 2017, 09:16:27 AM
I peed on the Golden Gate Bridge.  Probably not nearly the only one :)...  I was a young and dumb sailor in the 80s.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 06, 2017, 09:20:20 AM
I once punched a clown.

It's true.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Poeirenta on October 06, 2017, 09:22:54 AM
Camped overnight on the rim of Wizard Island in Crater Lake.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Davnasty on October 06, 2017, 09:33:22 AM
DMT
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RetiredAt63 on October 06, 2017, 09:35:31 AM
Let no-see-ums (piqûres de brûlots, Culicoides sanguisuga) walk all over my arm until they fed (blood meal).  The things biology grad students do.  ;-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: aetherie on October 06, 2017, 09:39:44 AM
I did competitive ballroom dancing for six years and won multiple ribbons at the gold level (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballroom_dance#Elements_of_competition).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Caoineag on October 06, 2017, 09:44:29 AM
Arranged for a computer software version of a mouse to starve/work itself to death by pressing the lever for food without sufficient reward.

Background: It was a psychology class, we were told the software perfectly mimicked a real mouse and I think 3 of us in the entire class figured out the mouse would keep pressing the lever for food indefinitely if you trained it enough. It was a mimicking of the gambling behavior and was meant to teach us why unreliable rewards actually increase a certain behavior more than certain rewards. Judging by the professor's horrified expression, no one else had ever tested the theory to the extreme like that. In our defense, we were required to train it to a certain level to get our grade, we just explored how far the behavior would go. None of knew each other so we independently concluded that it could probably be trained farther...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Kris on October 06, 2017, 09:49:09 AM
I once punched a clown.

It's true.

You're not the hero we deserve, but you're the hero we need.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 06, 2017, 09:58:24 AM
Let no-see-ums (piqûres de brûlots, Culicoides sanguisuga) walk all over my arm until they fed (blood meal).  The things biology grad students do.  ;-)

. . . doesn't sound too different from camping trips with Dad.  :P
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Davnasty on October 06, 2017, 09:58:47 AM
DMT

Nope, me too :)    Though maybe you did it on purpose. If "DMT on purpose", it's yours.
On accident!!! Were you terrified?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ketchup on October 06, 2017, 10:03:10 AM
Last November, I drove 100 miles home with nine free deer carcasses in my Hyundai Accent and spent several hours in my garage afterwards cutting them up, bones included.

You fit nine deer in an Accent??? IN an Accent?? No roof rack, no trailer hitch rack?

I'm guessing the windows were down.
Windows up.  It was a hatchback.  The deer carcasses weren't 100% intact by any means when I got them (legs were separate and some meat stripped off), but it was still a lot.

Our dogs are still feasting on the spoils of that trip.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CheapskateWife on October 06, 2017, 10:08:25 AM
I entered boxing contests in college for prize money to help pay for room and board....only marginally better than stripping.  Almost lost my Army Scholarship (tuition only) over that one.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: surfhb on October 06, 2017, 10:16:39 AM
I get paid to watch Netflix and Amazon shows months before the rest of the world.   

I also produced the worlds first Blu Ray and HD DVD surf film and the first gay porn Blu ray.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Davnasty on October 06, 2017, 10:18:35 AM
On accident!!! Were you terrified?

I was...surprised. Like, "huh? wha' the?"

My great, great fortune was that the companion who'd accidentally dosed me realized what was happening, identified that to me, and then stayed with me the whole time, serving as a decent guide. It was, in fact, WONDERFUL. I still tear up at the memory, in joy and gratitude.
Good to hear. I figured someone else had, I was kinda fishing :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: runbikerun on October 06, 2017, 10:21:05 AM
I spent a day as David Hasselhoff's bodyguard.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Car Jack on October 06, 2017, 10:35:25 AM
I was the first one to finish the first public bike-a-thon for charity.  50 mile "Ride for life" in 1969.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 10:42:54 AM
I have slept on top of a Mayan pyramid.
Gotcha.
I did that at Tikal several years ago. I don't think they allow it there anymore.

It wasn't allowed back in 1986 either, but we walked in, eery jungle trails, climbed up and spent the night where they used to do blood sacrifices. Cool pics of the sunrise over the pyramids.
Alcohol was involved.
I have played this game at parties, and never been caught losing with this answer before. Now I have to think if I got something better.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 10:48:37 AM
Climbed from the passenger seat to the roof of a moving car and laid face forward, holding on to the windows, while the driver took belly dropping hills and 60 mph country road straightaways.
I know no one else here has done that because no one else here is that stupid.

That stupid, or have hands that strong!
Was alcohol involved, or is totally a stupid question?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Travis on October 06, 2017, 10:52:13 AM
Served as primary prosecution witness to put two child molesters behind bars.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 10:54:35 AM
Louisville's got me beat pretty bad. Let's try...

I have cooked from steam venting from the peak of a live volcano (boiled water for hot chocolate after sleeping on hot rock).

By the way, that was also the most scared I have ever been. Literally frozen in fear at one point climbing down.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 10:55:47 AM
Served as primary prosecution witness to put two child molesters behind bars.
Thank you. I have never in my life done anything so useful to humanity.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 06, 2017, 11:15:36 AM
Climbed from the passenger seat to the roof of a moving car and laid face forward, holding on to the windows, while the driver took belly dropping hills and 60 mph country road straightaways.
I know no one else here has done that because no one else here is that stupid.

I've done this in a car at 80 kph (about 50 mph) . . . memories of a misspent youth.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ixtap on October 06, 2017, 11:18:45 AM
Had my shoes stolen while sleeping in a tent in the middle of a field. Had to hike down the mountain in flip flops and legally blind because my glasses were in the shoes.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: dycker1978 on October 06, 2017, 11:45:11 AM
I started a not for profit foundation from scratch to help gender diverse people.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Laura33 on October 06, 2017, 11:48:48 AM
Hmmmm.  Drunk navigated 3+ miles across a town I'd never visited, to someone else's apartment I'd spent 15 minutes in, with no street address, telephone number, or last names to go by and only a paper map (pre-cellphone days). 

While studying abroad, a group of us decided to go to Oktoberfest; I mean, it was just a train ride away, so why the hell not?  We had no place to stay (because planning?), but we met some guys on the train over who offered us their floor.  Umm, sure (what could possibly go wrong?*).  So we dropped off all our stuff at their place and walked across town to the fairgrounds.  Only after many hours and many, many beers did I discover that the friend who had gotten us the offer didn't know their address or even their full names.  So, basically, all of our passports and clothes and train tickets and everything were 3 1/2 miles away, with no more specific direction than "that way."  I somehow managed to retrace our steps.

*The most unbelievable part may be that no one got robbed or assaulted, or even seriously hit on; they were just really, really nice guys who were looking out for a bunch of stupid American tourists.  :-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: acroy on October 06, 2017, 12:14:02 PM
Some fun ones here!

- rode BMX bike off the marina dock in Westlake Village CA
- Backpacked 28days straight in Sierra Nevada Mountains; zero re-supply, zero contact w/outside world
- rode mtb bike up Pikes Peak Barr Trail, the hiking trial. well, mostly pushed.
- Rode mtb back down. had several blowouts on the way down b/c the rim brakes got the rim so hot the tubes melted.
- routinely mowed 45 lawns/wk during Houston summers.
- Mowed 17 laws/day Saturdays, for some weeks after college started and Sat was my only free day to make $$
- tried really hard to open a screw-cap bottle of gin with a bottle opener. I may have been inebriated.
- high centered a rental Jeep in Moab and got lost on the walk back in November at night while on honeymoon
- Identical twin daughters born on the 4th of July
- Drove 1,000 miles in 14hrs in a 500hp Corvette and got 32mpg
- lost my virginity on my wedding night
- Bought a dozen Caped Flying Screaming Monkeys from Amazon because...  self explanatory
- Wore a Utilikilt to an Indian/Cajun wedding/reception
- was mistaken for a homosexual Communist
- Took 24 credit hour load and made 4.0 in 1 semester
- took 6 children + DW camping
- Built an isobaric subwoofer
- built an infinite baffle subwoofer
- removed perfectly functioning AC from vehicles. Twice.
- owned 5 personal vehicles at once, all of which operated perfectly (pre-MMM of course)
- walked 15 miles r/t to work for 3 weeks in 100 degree heat
- was gifted a polished stainless Colt 1911 45ACP for high school graduation.
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia

Tomorrow, and most Saturdays:
- take 7 children on an 8 mile walk for breakfast tacos
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ketchup on October 06, 2017, 12:17:08 PM
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia
Your list is wonderful, but I just can't shake this one.  Is that a thing people do in Bolivia?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 06, 2017, 12:19:28 PM
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia

Quite a civilized hostage situation you and your co-workers found yourself in.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: FIreSurfer on October 06, 2017, 12:33:53 PM
My NYC rock and roll moment:

Went to a party at the Plaza Hotel in midtown New York City - I'd always wanted to go to the Plaza Hotel(!!)

Drank an awful lot of champagne with the lovely young model I was dating.

Got the great idea to sneak out of the Rose Room and "explore the hotel"....then it gets fuzzy.

Woke up in the morning in the Penthouse Suite on the top floor of the Plaza Hotel, totally confused as to where we were.

.....over time it came back that we somehow got onto the roof of the hotel, and climbed across the balconies until my lady friend discovered the empty penthouse suite had the sliding glass door open........

Of course we didn't sneak out the window, we took the private elevator downstairs, held our hung over heads high, and strolled out the front door......

The bummer was that after that, no date I could take her on could top that one......but I can forever say that I stayed in the Plaza Hotel Penthouse for free!!




Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ender on October 06, 2017, 01:08:50 PM
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia

Quite a civilized hostage situation you and your co-workers found yourself in.

Depends on what "sushi" means.

Maybe it was a hostage situation where they fed them raw fish. And sushi was a bit less... civilized.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 06, 2017, 01:14:08 PM
I hovered/landed an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter on various merchant ships to deliver medicine and supplies to survivors of the Achille Lauro cruise ship after it caught on fire late November 1994.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 06, 2017, 01:27:51 PM
- was mistaken for a homosexual Communist

Been there, got the t-shirt. Me and my "homosexual lover" were at a gas station in the backwoods of Arkansas when we were chased by a group of hicks. We only escaped a beating because we went straight to the car and they started on foot -- by the time they got back to their trucks, tires were screeching and we were hauling ass like no one's business. Good times.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PoutineLover on October 06, 2017, 01:39:20 PM
Had sex a few times at a national historic site.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: solon on October 06, 2017, 01:40:06 PM
How is it that so many people have been mistaken for homosexual communists? I have never looked at anybody and thought, "mm hm, gay commie..."
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Sailor Sam on October 06, 2017, 02:00:20 PM
Pulled the very dead body of drowned man up in a scallop net.

Pulled live people out of the water, and taught them their a couple english words -> "political" and "asylum."

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CheapskateWife on October 06, 2017, 02:04:38 PM
Pulled live people out of the water, and taught them their a couple english words -> "political" and "asylum."
SS, I think this has made my little girl-crush grow a bit.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ixtap on October 06, 2017, 02:08:38 PM
How is it that so many people have been mistaken for homosexual communists? I have never looked at anybody and thought, "mm hm, gay commie..."

You just aren't hanging around with the right people. After all, even Obama was a gay Muslim commie. They just tend to leave the Muslim out for me because I am white and we all know that white people can't be Muslim.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: solon on October 06, 2017, 02:12:52 PM
The funnier thing is that the accusers seem to think it's an insult!

Well, I've never been mistaken for a gay commie, but I bet I would be pretty insulted.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 06, 2017, 02:21:31 PM
I hovered/landed an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter on various merchant ships to deliver medicine and supplies to survivors of the Achille Lauro cruise ship after it caught on fire late November 1994.

Yeah but what have you done lately?

Seriously, that is pretty badass.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 06, 2017, 02:27:43 PM
I hovered/landed an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter on various merchant ships to deliver medicine and supplies to survivors of the Achille Lauro cruise ship after it caught on fire late November 1994.

Yeah but what have you done lately?

Seriously, that is pretty badass.
I told some kids to get off of my lawn!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tass on October 06, 2017, 02:30:54 PM
I've been mistaken as gay - probably more times than I know about, thank you pixie cut - but not as a communist. I think.

-I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Got it as a teenager, now very out of practice. Probably not the only one.
-Been paid to play weddings/other shmancy events in a string quartet, maybe?
-Got rained on in Death Valley.

Oh wait. I know the actual one.

-Successfully completed National Novel Writing Month eight years in a row. (AKA eight 50k word "novels" - realistically 6 novels, 1 novella with a little schoolwork thrown in, and a science blog.) Gearing up for year 9.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: WhiteTrashCash on October 06, 2017, 02:32:19 PM
I took veterinary penicillin to treat a bacterial infection because I couldn't afford health insurance. It worked, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PoutineLover on October 06, 2017, 02:35:36 PM
I've been mistaken as gay - probably more times than I know about, thank you pixie cut - but not as a communist. I think.
Same here. Or a gay hippie. Which is not too far off the mark actually.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bwall on October 06, 2017, 02:56:47 PM
Hitchhiked from Pretoria, South Africa to Livingston, Zambia, to Maun, Botswana, to Sossusvlei, Namibia (that was a tough one), to Cape Town, South Africa. By myself most of the way. About 4000 miles total.

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: acroy on October 06, 2017, 03:00:10 PM
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia
Your list is wonderful, but I just can't shake this one.  Is that a thing people do in Bolivia?
Fancy-pants 'sensory experience' at a high end restaurant. The idea being we couldn't tell what it was without looking at it, and we'd be surprised when the blindfolds came off. Sure enough, it was prepared in such a way no one knew it was sushi

The funnier thing is that the accusers seem to think it's an insult!
Well, I've never been mistaken for a gay commie, but I bet I would be pretty insulted.
In this case it was meant in a very friendly way.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MrSpendy on October 06, 2017, 03:11:26 PM
on a spring break cruise, I went through a couple of "authorized personnel only" areas and went up some ladders to get to what I would call the "crow's nest" where the radar spins. alcohol and a girl clouded the judgment. I stood up a little too high and the radar hit me in the head HARD. probably had a concussion. was pretty dangerous getting up/being there, but it seemed like a good idea at the time and was really cool.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 06, 2017, 03:40:24 PM
Told a shadow cabinet minister he was stupid* on live primetime national television. Was congratulated by said MP afterwards and told I should consider standing for parliament.

*this may not have been the exact word, but it was of the order of stupid or pathetic.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 06, 2017, 04:33:13 PM
Some fun ones here!

- rode BMX bike off the marina dock in Westlake Village CA
- Backpacked 28days straight in Sierra Nevada Mountains; zero re-supply, zero contact w/outside world
- rode mtb bike up Pikes Peak Barr Trail, the hiking trial. well, mostly pushed.
- Rode mtb back down. had several blowouts on the way down b/c the rim brakes got the rim so hot the tubes melted.
- routinely mowed 45 lawns/wk during Houston summers.
- Mowed 17 laws/day Saturdays, for some weeks after college started and Sat was my only free day to make $$
- tried really hard to open a screw-cap bottle of gin with a bottle opener. I may have been inebriated.
- high centered a rental Jeep in Moab and got lost on the walk back in November at night while on honeymoon
- Identical twin daughters born on the 4th of July
- Drove 1,000 miles in 14hrs in a 500hp Corvette and got 32mpg
- lost my virginity on my wedding night
- Bought a dozen Caped Flying Screaming Monkeys from Amazon because...  self explanatory
- Wore a Utilikilt to an Indian/Cajun wedding/reception
- was mistaken for a homosexual Communist
- Took 24 credit hour load and made 4.0 in 1 semester
- took 6 children + DW camping
- Built an isobaric subwoofer
- built an infinite baffle subwoofer
- removed perfectly functioning AC from vehicles. Twice.
- owned 5 personal vehicles at once, all of which operated perfectly (pre-MMM of course)
- walked 15 miles r/t to work for 3 weeks in 100 degree heat
- was gifted a polished stainless Colt 1911 45ACP for high school graduation.
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia

Tomorrow, and most Saturdays:
- take 7 children on an 8 mile walk for breakfast tacos

32 MPG in a CORVETTE!? Tell us more!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: HPstache on October 06, 2017, 04:44:59 PM
Some fun ones here!

- rode BMX bike off the marina dock in Westlake Village CA
- Backpacked 28days straight in Sierra Nevada Mountains; zero re-supply, zero contact w/outside world
- rode mtb bike up Pikes Peak Barr Trail, the hiking trial. well, mostly pushed.
- Rode mtb back down. had several blowouts on the way down b/c the rim brakes got the rim so hot the tubes melted.
- routinely mowed 45 lawns/wk during Houston summers.
- Mowed 17 laws/day Saturdays, for some weeks after college started and Sat was my only free day to make $$
- tried really hard to open a screw-cap bottle of gin with a bottle opener. I may have been inebriated.
- high centered a rental Jeep in Moab and got lost on the walk back in November at night while on honeymoon
- Identical twin daughters born on the 4th of July
- Drove 1,000 miles in 14hrs in a 500hp Corvette and got 32mpg
- lost my virginity on my wedding night
- Bought a dozen Caped Flying Screaming Monkeys from Amazon because...  self explanatory
- Wore a Utilikilt to an Indian/Cajun wedding/reception
- was mistaken for a homosexual Communist
- Took 24 credit hour load and made 4.0 in 1 semester
- took 6 children + DW camping
- Built an isobaric subwoofer
- built an infinite baffle subwoofer
- removed perfectly functioning AC from vehicles. Twice.
- owned 5 personal vehicles at once, all of which operated perfectly (pre-MMM of course)
- walked 15 miles r/t to work for 3 weeks in 100 degree heat
- was gifted a polished stainless Colt 1911 45ACP for high school graduation.
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia

Tomorrow, and most Saturdays:
- take 7 children on an 8 mile walk for breakfast tacos

32 MPG in a CORVETTE!? Tell us more!

Modern Corvettes (particularly '01-'06 [28mpg EPA highway], '14-'16 [29mpg EPA highway]) get excellent gas mileage.  The cars are super light and have really low gearing (1,800 RPM @ 60mph).  You could easily get 32 mpg during the right road trip.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheGrimSqueaker on October 06, 2017, 04:47:09 PM
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Financial.Velociraptor on October 06, 2017, 05:40:18 PM
Licked my elbows!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: yakamashii on October 06, 2017, 07:07:48 PM
Got yelled at, threatened, and then apologized to by a Hall of Fame baseball player over a scoring decision.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rylito on October 06, 2017, 10:33:26 PM
Returned lost dogs to both Ron Howard and Charlie Sheen (guess that's 2 things).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: EscapeVelocity2020 on October 06, 2017, 11:36:24 PM
Sold our first home, 2 cars, and most of our possessions and moved to Norway with our 1 and 3 year olds.  Have a very sweet picture of them 2 years later in bunads for the May 17th Constitution Day (kinda like Independence Day) festivities.  If you haven't seen pictures, it worth a little Googling (bunads and/or Syttende Mai, images).

By the way, great idea for a thread.  I kept thinking of things, but either I really didn't want to share (made a lot of really enjoyable mistakes in my youth) or possible that someone else here has done something close.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Thinkum on October 07, 2017, 12:30:39 AM
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SaskyStache on October 07, 2017, 01:29:43 AM
 I have had a Sourtoe cocktail in two Canadian provinces and one American State.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: nora on October 07, 2017, 02:13:25 AM
I sawed up a whole partially-cooked spitroast pig with a breadknife.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 07, 2017, 02:55:12 AM
Some of these are awesome, but somehow the big lists seem less impressive.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 07, 2017, 04:09:31 AM
I graduated from high school in Naples Italy.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on October 07, 2017, 05:24:23 AM
Wrote a piece of legislation that is now law in 32 countries including the USA and all the EU.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarBrian on October 07, 2017, 05:33:38 AM
I have slept on top of a Mayan pyramid.

I've done this!! In 2001 in Guatamala at Tikal. I snuck up the side of a pyramid to see the wood carvings at the top. I had to wait for all the people to clear out before I came back down. So I took a nap :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Stachetastic on October 07, 2017, 05:44:10 AM
Got paid to steal people's children*


*Before I end up on a list, this came from working far too long in child welfare, which I'm guessing most people around here are smart enough to avoid the overworked/extremely underpaid trappings of CPS.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarBrian on October 07, 2017, 06:12:16 AM
• Placed 2nd at the National Mandolin Contest

• Played 3700+ concerts.

• Started SCUBA diving when I was 8. Speared my first fish at 8. And at 10 we drove in one day with Humpback Whales, giant manta rays, 3 different types of sharks, and thousands of huge fish. At Isla Clarion 600 miles off the Mexican coast.

• Elk hunting on public land. I've gotten 13 elk in 11 years hunting. Average success in the area we hunt is 15%. So about one every 8 years.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: iris lily on October 07, 2017, 06:16:58 AM
My NYC rock and roll moment:

Went to a party at the Plaza Hotel in midtown New York City - I'd always wanted to go to the Plaza Hotel(!!)

Drank an awful lot of champagne with the lovely young model I was dating.

Got the great idea to sneak out of the Rose Room and "explore the hotel"....then it gets fuzzy.

Woke up in the morning in the Penthouse Suite on the top floor of the Plaza Hotel, totally confused as to where we were.

.....over time it came back that we somehow got onto the roof of the hotel, and climbed across the balconies until my lady friend discovered the empty penthouse suite had the sliding glass door open........

Of course we didn't sneak out the window, we took the private elevator downstairs, held our hung over heads high, and strolled out the front door......

The bummer was that after that, no date I could take her on could top that one......but I can forever say that I stayed in the Plaza Hotel Penthouse for free!!
I love this one!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Roger D on October 07, 2017, 06:17:16 AM
Rode a bicycle across Australia's Nullabor Plain


(This is my favorite thread on the site, by the way)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: marion10 on October 07, 2017, 06:42:48 AM
Appeared on Jeopardy!
Interviewed Saul Bellow for my high school paper.
Been in the excercise yard at The Federal prison in Chicago.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 07, 2017, 07:07:43 AM
Met Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg on board the USS Normandy during a Veterans day observance.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 07, 2017, 07:12:31 AM
Marched in a parade in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: iris lily on October 07, 2017, 07:21:53 AM
Got six French bulldogs in one day.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 07, 2017, 08:35:00 AM
Shot an Ex-US Coast Guard ship with a Penguin anti-ship cruise missile.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Sailor Sam on October 07, 2017, 11:35:56 AM
Shot an Ex-US Coast Guard ship with a Penguin anti-ship cruise missile.

Augh!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 07, 2017, 11:47:41 AM
Shot an Ex-US Coast Guard ship with a Penguin anti-ship cruise missile.

Augh!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Chilula_(AT-153)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Jon_Snow on October 07, 2017, 12:38:05 PM
(http://forum.canucks.com/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=https://media.giphy.com/media/E1O9IdQiFybkY/giphy.gif&key=47b70ca872f42f282939c0015b6fe45f6daf7b31492c9d2038920561e7b2f13b)

Okay...it didn't go quite like this. But I did have a large male orca swim right beneath my kayak (the complete incident report was one of my first posts here years ago now). And whereas the kid in the gif is apparently jubilant...I would say my feelings were 20% elation and 80% scared sh*tless as the difference between a 200 pound human and a 20,000 pound cetacean in its native ocean realm came suddenly into focus.. The feeling of my kayak rising up in the water as it's tremendous, torpedo-shaped bulk displaced the water beneath me...is something that will forever be seared into my brain.

There have been other nature type encounters that I suspect are unique to me. But this is the one that usually springs to mind.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Stachetastic on October 07, 2017, 01:16:55 PM
Got six French bulldogs in one day.

I'm gonna need the story behind this one.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ender on October 07, 2017, 01:48:48 PM
I found it amusing this was the thread immediately next to this one in my recent unreads:

Quote
I kill fluffy bunnies and feed them to my children

It seems that would apply, too? :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: iris lily on October 07, 2017, 02:49:47 PM
Got six French bulldogs in one day.

I'm gonna need the story behind this one.
haha, ok.

Our elderly friends raised French bulldogs. We met them when they were breeding English Bulldogs and I adopted my first bulldog from them in 1994. Anyway, near the end of their lives they had 6 French bulldogs. The dogs were dirty and ill kept as this couple had lost their eyesight and ability to keep up with the work of the dogs, their hoise, their grounds.

Their daughter said "I will come and take care of you and clean this filthy house, but these dogs have to go!" Since DH and I were active in Bulldog rescue, we volunteered to take them and adopt them into other homes. We already had one French bulldog from them. So, we had 7 Frenchies running around the house.

We placed 4 of the dogs n other homes. DH and I kept rhe two eldest, a mother and daughter duo. I thought they wouldnt live much longer at ages 10 and 12. WRONG! The eldest dog of this entire lot  lived to be 16 years old and outlived all of them.

Our elderly Frenchies were bred in the days before the explosion of popularity that is now
French bulldogs. They were both champions and cute little buggers. But they were dumb as rocks, yappy, and bossy.

Wont be doing Frenchies again, at least, not in quantity.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Stachetastic on October 07, 2017, 07:33:48 PM
Got six French bulldogs in one day.

I'm gonna need the story behind this one.
haha, ok.

Our elderly friends raised French bulldogs. We met them when they were breeding English Bulldogs and I adopted my first bulldog from them in 1994. Anyway, near the end of their lives they had 6 French bulldogs. The dogs were dirty and ill kept as this couple had lost their eyesight and ability to keep up with the work of the dogs, their hoise, their grounds.

Their daughter said "I will come and take care of you and clean this filthy house, but these dogs have to go!" Since DH and I were active in Bulldog rescue, we volunteered to take them and adopt them into other homes. We already had one French bulldog from them. So, we had 7 Frenchies running around the house.

We placed 4 of the dogs n other homes. DH and I kept rhe two eldest, a mother and daughter duo. I thought they wouldnt live much longer at ages 10 and 12. WRONG! The eldest dog of this entire lot  lived to be 16 years old and outlived all of them.

Our elderly Frenchies were bred in the days before the explosion of popularity that is now
French bulldogs. They were both champions and cute little buggers. But they were dumb as rocks, yappy, and bossy.

Wont be doing Frenchies again, at least, not in quantity.

This is awesome. I love Frenchies, but their popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. We stick with rescuing Boston Terriers, which I call "poor man's frenchies." None of them have seemed to mind.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Travis on October 07, 2017, 09:49:48 PM
Shot an Ex-US Coast Guard ship with a Penguin anti-ship cruise missile.

I was really hoping this statement would stop right there.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cellista on October 08, 2017, 03:44:58 PM
Played Purple Haze on violin.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cpa Cat on October 08, 2017, 04:22:06 PM
Slept in a quinzhee of my own making for three nights, during a cold-weather wilderness camping trip.

Or is this something that teenagers do for fun in Canada?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: jrhampt on October 08, 2017, 04:31:37 PM
I met Ron Jeremy once in Vegas.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: pbkmaine on October 08, 2017, 04:57:26 PM
I did the sign-off for NPR’s Sound Money at Carnegie Hall in NYC the week after 9/11.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CupcakeGuru on October 08, 2017, 05:11:27 PM
Dang, I thought I was cool jumping out of an airplane at 12,000 feet until I read some of these replies.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SwordGuy on October 08, 2017, 05:25:52 PM
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dollar Slice on October 08, 2017, 05:40:28 PM
I was once told by armed government agents not to allow a book-signing to end (part of a charitable fundraising event), because the director of the ATF was running late and really wanted an autograph.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on October 08, 2017, 05:49:22 PM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: vern on October 08, 2017, 06:36:38 PM
I once slept between the fins of a Nike-Hercules missile.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Thinkum on October 08, 2017, 06:40:04 PM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Wow...just....wow. Glad you made it out, I'm sure it has been hard.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 08, 2017, 08:15:51 PM
Slept in a quinzhee of my own making for three nights, during a cold-weather wilderness camping trip.

Or is this something that teenagers do for fun in Canada?

Well yeah.  We just call it a house though, no need for fancy words.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheGrimSqueaker on October 08, 2017, 10:16:58 PM
Went on a date at a dog park with a dude wearing a Utilikilt, then went back to his place and met his wife.

Used a stolen paper plate panda mask to help two strangers on acid find their lost friend.

Used a dating site to convince someone in New York to drive 900 miles to volunteer for a political candidate.

TheGrimSqueaker:

Quote
Had my jaw dislocated by somebody's buttock

???

I was trying to prevent cauliflower ear and wore headgear. Shouldn't have. Years before, I was consistently slow on an outside block and got what I deserved, so my jaw now goes out more often than I do. But I'd picked up some cauliflower playing some submission grappling and was trying to let it heal, so I had these earmuff looking things strapped to my head. Not only did it make me look like a total pussy, but it made it damn near impossible to get out of a well sunk submission involving my head. So the chin strap of this bitchass headgear was pushing against my jaw from one side, this dude caught me easily in a reverse triangle and cranked the crap out of the submission. But when he flexed his glutes to finish the choke my jaw dislocated again.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on October 09, 2017, 07:40:07 AM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Wow...just....wow. Glad you made it out, I'm sure it has been hard.

Thank  you.  It took several years till I felt normal again.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Caoineag on October 09, 2017, 09:07:51 AM
This one I share the honor of with my husband who is also on the forum.

Walked into the middle of a swat team manhunt because they had missed sealing off on of the park entrances that is used by the local apartment residents. It was quite a shock for both them and us because we were right on top of them when they finally caught on. Fortunately for us we looked harmless and not like the person they were hunting. That could have ended very badly...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: jrhampt on October 09, 2017, 09:14:17 AM
Haha!  I was once taking my parents on a tour of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and we saw a funeral procession driving past.  Later we were at a museum downtown and exited to find that the hearse from the funeral procession was parked in front of the church across the street, and there was crime scene tape blocking the entrance.  We shrugged, went for a walk to Plymouth Rock, and later saw on the news that during the funeral procession, the rapper whose mom had died got shot at by a disgruntled relative and they were chasing the armed perp all over town while we were sightseeing.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Kris on October 09, 2017, 09:23:59 AM
Oh, here's another one:

I have no medical or dental training whatsoever.

But I did once assist a dentist at a wisdom teeth extraction.

Bonus: the patient was my boyfriend at the time.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Trudie on October 09, 2017, 09:35:37 AM
Lunch with Oprah.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Knapptyme on October 09, 2017, 09:42:56 AM
Not really that extreme or necessarily difficult (because I did it without trying very hard), but I'm guessing it's still somewhat unlikely others have done this.

I have been red-carded (ejected) from a high school soccer match as a player, a coach, and a spectator (separate occasions). The last one was done while completely unaffected by foreign substances. The ref gave me a yellow-card for coaching from the sidelines in the wrong spot. I was not the coach nor was I coaching. I was, however, yelling things other than go, kick, yay, etc. which may have been perceived as coach-speak. Apparently, he thought I was coaching again later, so he went all red on me.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Kris on October 09, 2017, 10:16:59 AM
But I did once assist a dentist at a wisdom teeth extraction.

I did that :)

Damn. I figured there would definitely be dental hygienists who had, but not any laypersons.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: iris lily on October 09, 2017, 10:33:20 AM
Got six French bulldogs in one day.

I'm gonna need the story behind this one.
haha, ok.

Our elderly friends raised French bulldogs. We met them when they were breeding English Bulldogs and I adopted my first bulldog from them in 1994. Anyway, near the end of their lives they had 6 French bulldogs. The dogs were dirty and ill kept as this couple had lost their eyesight and ability to keep up with the work of the dogs, their hoise, their grounds.

Their daughter said "I will come and take care of you and clean this filthy house, but these dogs have to go!" Since DH and I were active in Bulldog rescue, we volunteered to take them and adopt them into other homes. We already had one French bulldog from them. So, we had 7 Frenchies running around the house.

We placed 4 of the dogs n other homes. DH and I kept rhe two eldest, a mother and daughter duo. I thought they wouldnt live much longer at ages 10 and 12. WRONG! The eldest dog of this entire lot  lived to be 16 years old and outlived all of them.

Our elderly Frenchies were bred in the days before the explosion of popularity that is now
French bulldogs. They were both champions and cute little buggers. But they were dumb as rocks, yappy, and bossy.

Wont be doing Frenchies again, at least, not in quantity.

This is awesome. I love Frenchies, but their popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. We stick with rescuing Boston Terriers, which I call "poor man's frenchies." None of them have seemed to mind.

Cor you, I would love to post a photo of the black and white bulldog who was my foster dog last spring. He looks like a Boston on steroids. Black and white is a new "designer color" for bulldogs, ugh.

Anyway, this stupid MMM software wont let me post anything, drat it.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Pizzabrewer on October 09, 2017, 10:43:19 AM
I *almost* got on the Letterman show during Audience Show and Tell by opening 10 new/wrapped CDs with my bare hands in 30 seconds.  I did the trick successfully in rehearsal but lost out the spot on the show to a guy with an atlatl. 

So that's probably 2 things right there.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 09, 2017, 10:46:01 AM
I met Ron Jeremy once in Vegas.

I met Ron Jeremy*, if ya know what I mean.






* Not really.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: gardeningandgreen on October 09, 2017, 10:47:42 AM
I once climbed a small mountain in Fiji barefoot. We then hitchhiked back to town.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 09, 2017, 10:51:40 AM
  • Accidentally hacked the back-end database of a major cellular phone provider

The SoL is up so...I intentionally hacked the back-end servers of a defense contractor.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rogue on October 09, 2017, 11:21:52 AM
In a high school soccer game, as a keeper, I scored a goal with a punt.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: gaja on October 09, 2017, 11:58:36 AM
1) Driven an electric van to 71 deg northern latitude.

2) taken part in a couple of whale hunts


Slept in a quinzhee of my own making for three nights, during a cold-weather wilderness camping trip.

Or is this something that teenagers do for fun in Canada?
It basically part of the school curriculum in Norway. Usually only 1-2 nights, but more is not uncommon. It is also a part of the training for drafted soldiers, so more than half the men and an increasingly large part of the female population has been through the winter training.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RetiredAt63 on October 09, 2017, 12:11:20 PM
1) Driven an electric van to 71 deg northern latitude.

2) taken part in a couple of whale hunts


Slept in a quinzhee of my own making for three nights, during a cold-weather wilderness camping trip.

Or is this something that teenagers do for fun in Canada?
It basically part of the school curriculum in Norway. Usually only 1-2 nights, but more is not uncommon. It is also a part of the training for drafted soldiers, so more than half the men and an increasingly large part of the female population has been through the winter training.

My College students have slept in quinzhees that they made while on winter camping trips for Phys. Ed.  And I know Venturers (oldest youth in Scouting) also often sleep in them for winter camping.  After all, no tent or whatever to carry in.  I've always thought that if I were lost in the winter woods, or doing winter field work in the middle of nowhere, that having an easy-to-build shelter is a good idea.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: DoubleDown on October 09, 2017, 12:36:27 PM
I'm Batman.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: forumname123 on October 09, 2017, 12:53:10 PM
I got stabbed once. Twice, actually.

Not much of an accomplishment, but it's pretty rare I suppose.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cpa Cat on October 09, 2017, 01:10:58 PM
1) Driven an electric van to 71 deg northern latitude.

2) taken part in a couple of whale hunts


Slept in a quinzhee of my own making for three nights, during a cold-weather wilderness camping trip.

Or is this something that teenagers do for fun in Canada?
It basically part of the school curriculum in Norway. Usually only 1-2 nights, but more is not uncommon. It is also a part of the training for drafted soldiers, so more than half the men and an increasingly large part of the female population has been through the winter training.

My College students have slept in quinzhees that they made while on winter camping trips for Phys. Ed.  And I know Venturers (oldest youth in Scouting) also often sleep in them for winter camping.  After all, no tent or whatever to carry in.  I've always thought that if I were lost in the winter woods, or doing winter field work in the middle of nowhere, that having an easy-to-build shelter is a good idea.

I feel like learning how to make a quinzhee was one of the most valuable things I've ever learned. I don't live anywhere with real snow anymore - but if I did, I'd totally survive the night!!

Anyway, turns out I'm lame. 90% of Norway and Boyschouts have done what I've done.

I've got nothing.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on October 09, 2017, 02:12:49 PM
Ran about 1/2 mile (800m) down the middle (double yellow line) one of the main streets in town.  Barefoot.  Dressed only in shorts.  1AM. Jogged back.
Hazards?  Random piles of horsepoop, but those were mostly in the middle of the lanes, not the middle of the street.  Occasional dead, flat critter.

Lame? Yes.  Mostly posting to follow.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 09, 2017, 02:16:22 PM
Ran about 1/2 mile (800m) down the middle (double yellow line) one of the main streets in town.  Barefoot.  Dressed only in shorts.  1AM. Jogged back.
Hazards?  Random piles of horsepoop, but those were mostly in the middle of the lanes, not the middle of the street.  Occasional dead, flat critter.

Lame? Yes.  Mostly posting to follow.

Were you on Ambien?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JLee on October 09, 2017, 03:00:19 PM
I (technically) won an Emmy.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RidetheRain on October 09, 2017, 03:35:20 PM
I have had a three-inch diameter post planted in the middle of a field in my honor.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on October 09, 2017, 04:08:42 PM
Ran about 1/2 mile (800m) down the middle (double yellow line) one of the main streets in town.  Barefoot.  Dressed only in shorts.  1AM. Jogged back.
Hazards?  Random piles of horsepoop, but those were mostly in the middle of the lanes, not the middle of the street.  Occasional dead, flat critter.

Lame? Yes.  Mostly posting to follow.

Were you on Ambien?

If you mean  Insomnia treatment AMBIEN® (zolpidem tartrate):   
Answer, No.   Just a bored older teenager in the middle of the summer.   Ran out of reading material.
 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on October 09, 2017, 04:47:13 PM
I flew New England Patriot Cheerleaders from one ship to our ship for a visit.  That was a good day.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Lagom on October 09, 2017, 05:52:31 PM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Insane... Glad you made it out, what a traumatic experience that must have been... Meanwhile, one of my first thoughts for this thread was almost exactly the opposite situation -- I had no idea 9/11 had happened until 9/14. 2001 was the year I started college and I was on a "wilderness orientation" backpacking trip, hundreds of miles from civilization, when the towers were hit. We had no contact with the outside world until we returned to our camp ground on the 14th.

My other biggest thing that qualifies for this thread is that in high school, a band I was in opened a set for BB King. Definitely one of the highlights of my life.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Laura33 on October 09, 2017, 06:21:26 PM
I met Colonel Sanders.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Zamboni on October 09, 2017, 08:58:11 PM
Struggling to post here because I keep thinking of probably unique things, but then this little niggling voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that I should only post things that are legal . . . . like the orca under the kayak story is both unique and legal.

Hmmm.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: driftwood on October 10, 2017, 02:17:03 AM
I'll have a go...

Hiked Ben Nevis in Scotland in a kilt...as an American tourist.
Had 30 lipomas removed from my body (got about another 30 to go until they're all gone)
Skiied in Switzerland in the inflatable trex costume...more scary than fun
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: boy_bye on October 10, 2017, 03:17:46 AM
Lunch with Oprah.

WINNERRRRRRRR!!!!!!

I won the talent show of a beauty pageant that I entered ironically.

Requested to be a mermaid by spontaneously singing a reverse version of "Part of Your World" in the ocean and immediately had my request granted when I saw two little girls way further out to sea than they should have been. I swam out and saved them as is the mermaid's duty.

Snorkeled by myself over a coral reef off the coast of Manzanillo, Costa Rica -- there was NO ONE ELSE at the beach or in the water -- and saw a marlin and a hammerhead shark, both bigger than me. Successfully refrained from soiling myself.

Tripped on acid in a cemetery, uh, about 50 times.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 10, 2017, 08:51:36 AM
Lunch with Oprah.

This actually reminded me of one I forgot.  I was a member of a 3 person group selected to take Richard Leakey out to dinner after he gave a lecture at our university. I was thinking as I drove to the dinner that he might not want to talk more 'shop', but our group was biologists so that is indeed how the conversation started.  Leakey was obviously soon kind of bored and tuning out, so I asked him to tell us about his vineyard on the edge of the Rift Valley and how he got into wine-making, and BOOM, he lit up with happiness and talked like crazy the rest of the dinner. And invited us to come visit so he could show us around LOL.  Good job, me!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on October 10, 2017, 09:02:29 AM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Insane... Glad you made it out, what a traumatic experience that must have been... Meanwhile, one of my first thoughts for this thread was almost exactly the opposite situation -- I had no idea 9/11 had happened until 9/14. 2001 was the year I started college and I was on a "wilderness orientation" backpacking trip, hundreds of miles from civilization, when the towers were hit. We had no contact with the outside world until we returned to our camp ground on the 14th.
...

The Challenger explosion happened when I was learning skiing at the only ski slope in India (Gulmarg, Kashmir) at that time (1986). No TV. We just were out on the slopes all day.

Learning skiing in Gulmarg must be one of the things that very few people have done. Very close to the border with Pakistan. On one side of the mountain is India (where Gulmarg is ) and on the other side was Pakistan.

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on October 10, 2017, 09:05:54 AM
If we are going down the "close encounters with celebrity" wormhole -

I once played bridge with a man who played bridge with Omar Sharif.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RetiredAt63 on October 10, 2017, 09:12:32 AM
If we are going down the "close encounters with celebrity" wormhole -

I once played bridge with a man who played bridge with Omar Sharif.
Wormhole - 2 degrees of connection with The Beatles.  But since the theory is that we all have 6 degrees of connection with everyone, is it really worthwhile?

So far no one else has said they voluntarily encouraged blood-feeding insects to feed on them, in this I am unique here.  I can think of more fun things I would like to be unique for, but we take what we can get.  ;-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: marielle on October 10, 2017, 09:18:10 AM
Mostly posting to follow but maybe this one will work?

Failed the vision test at the DMV.

I'm nearly blind in one eye (untreated lazy eye so now it's permanent), but never had a problem in another state passing the vision test. For some reason this state requires me to take a form to the eye doctor despite my better eye being fine when wearing contacts.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Inaya on October 10, 2017, 09:19:19 AM
The bummer was that after that, no date I could take her on could top that one......but I can forever say that I stayed in the Plaza Hotel Penthouse for free!!

Not nearly as good a story, but I got kicked out of the Plaza Hotel by the US Secret Service. Was there on a class trip and I think maybe Hillary Clinton was at the hotel for a speaking engagement or something (while Bill was still Prez). We wandered somewhere we weren't supposed to and were instructed VERY strongly to leave the property.

Uh... I was arrested and detained overnight for aggravated domestic assault. I don't talk about it much, but it was a very bad reaction to antidepressants and nobody was hurt. Charges were dropped, and I don't touch mood-altering drugs anymore.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rimu05 on October 10, 2017, 09:25:48 AM
Hitchhiked from Pretoria, South Africa to Livingston, Zambia, to Maun, Botswana, to Sossusvlei, Namibia (that was a tough one), to Cape Town, South Africa. By myself most of the way. About 4000 miles total.

Damn, my ass is Kenyan and even I can't do that. That's just bad ass!

I suspect some people have done this one, but I skydived a month ago. It was actually kind of anti climactic...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rogue on October 10, 2017, 09:35:04 AM
Tripped on acid in a cemetery, uh, about 50 times.

Why would a cemetery have acid just laying around?

:)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Jon_Snow on October 10, 2017, 10:34:11 AM
Struggling to post here because I keep thinking of probably unique things, but then this little niggling voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that I should only post things that are legal . . . . like the orca under the kayak story is both unique and legal.

Well, this is a bit tricky....technically, one is supposed to maintain around 100m of distance between a boat and a pod of orca's. And in that instance I was indeed attempting to maintain this buffer...but clearly, the male orca was intent on breaking away from the family group and doing a fly-by (or fly-under). Later, upon reflection it sure seemed it was just trying to mess with me.

While I am here again, and speaking of orca's (they feature heavily in my FIRE'd life)...a few years ago I was wandering the shore of my little island and was witness to what can only be described as...well...an orca-orgy. Not 30 feet from me. Here is a still image I took from a video I captured from the mayhem. I have blurred out certain excited-orca anatomical features which might cause offense. It was good reminder that although they possess a fish-like form - they are definitely HOT-BLOODED.

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5831/31129267911_7e24bf088b_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 10, 2017, 10:47:26 AM
Struggling to post here because I keep thinking of probably unique things, but then this little niggling voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that I should only post things that are legal . . . . like the orca under the kayak story is both unique and legal.

Well, this is a bit tricky....technically, one is supposed to maintain around 100m of distance between a boat and a pod of orca's. And in that instance I was indeed attempting to maintain this buffer...but clearly, the male orca was intent on breaking away from the family group and doing a fly-by (or fly-under). Later, upon reflection it sure seemed it was just trying to mess with me.

While I am here again, and speaking of orca's (they feature heavily in my FIRE'd life)...a few years ago I was wandering the shore of my little island and was witness to what can only be described as...well...an orca-orgy. Not 30 feet from me. Here is a still image I took from a video I captured from the mayhem. I have blurred out certain excited-orca anatomical features which might cause offense. It was good reminder that although they possess a fish-like form - they are definitely HOT-BLOODED.

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5831/31129267911_7e24bf088b_b.jpg)

OMG the level of envy I am feeling right now is unreal!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 10, 2017, 10:52:36 AM
Struggling to post here because I keep thinking of probably unique things, but then this little niggling voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that I should only post things that are legal . . . . like the orca under the kayak story is both unique and legal.

Well, this is a bit tricky....technically, one is supposed to maintain around 100m of distance between a boat and a pod of orca's. And in that instance I was indeed attempting to maintain this buffer...but clearly, the male orca was intent on breaking away from the family group and doing a fly-by (or fly-under). Later, upon reflection it sure seemed it was just trying to mess with me.

While I am here again, and speaking of orca's (they feature heavily in my FIRE'd life)...a few years ago I was wandering the shore of my little island and was witness to what can only be described as...well...an orca-orgy. Not 30 feet from me. Here is a still image I took from a video I captured from the mayhem. I have blurred out certain excited-orca anatomical features which might cause offense. It was good reminder that although they possess a fish-like form - they are definitely HOT-BLOODED.

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5831/31129267911_7e24bf088b_b.jpg)

OMG the level of envy I am feeling right now is unreal!

It's OK man, there are pills for that now.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 10, 2017, 10:56:51 AM
Struggling to post here because I keep thinking of probably unique things, but then this little niggling voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that I should only post things that are legal . . . . like the orca under the kayak story is both unique and legal.

Well, this is a bit tricky....technically, one is supposed to maintain around 100m of distance between a boat and a pod of orca's. And in that instance I was indeed attempting to maintain this buffer...but clearly, the male orca was intent on breaking away from the family group and doing a fly-by (or fly-under). Later, upon reflection it sure seemed it was just trying to mess with me.

While I am here again, and speaking of orca's (they feature heavily in my FIRE'd life)...a few years ago I was wandering the shore of my little island and was witness to what can only be described as...well...an orca-orgy. Not 30 feet from me. Here is a still image I took from a video I captured from the mayhem. I have blurred out certain excited-orca anatomical features which might cause offense. It was good reminder that although they possess a fish-like form - they are definitely HOT-BLOODED.

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5831/31129267911_7e24bf088b_b.jpg)

OMG the level of envy I am feeling right now is unreal!

It's OK man, there are pills for that now.

:Highfive:   I'm a woman, but that is a good one!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: marielle on October 10, 2017, 12:52:04 PM
I can't believe I forgot about this...

My boyfriend (who is 6' tall) and I slept in the trunk of my car which is a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, a small 2-door sports hatchback. In a parking lot.

I know many of you have slept in cars, but I'd be impressed if you did it with two people in a 2-door sports hatchback (and not in the front seats, doesn't count!)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Just Joe on October 10, 2017, 01:31:41 PM

  • Had my jaw dislocated by somebody's buttock


Must have been a real hard ass.... (my apologies to anyone who beat me to this joke, I'm sure I'll read it on the next page...)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Jon_Snow on October 10, 2017, 01:42:04 PM
OMG the level of envy I am feeling right now is unreal!

It's OK man, there are pills for that now.

No pill exists that would address the envy that might arise from the activities I was witness to - in particular certain aspects of SCALE. :0
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MasterStache on October 10, 2017, 03:03:19 PM
Just a couple off the top of my head:
- Won a National Junior Putt Putt tournament and received a $1500 college scholarship for doing so. I was only 12 at the time.
- Crowd surfed at a U2 cover band concert in Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheGrimSqueaker on October 10, 2017, 03:18:16 PM

  • Had my jaw dislocated by somebody's buttock


Must have been a real hard ass.... (my apologies to anyone who beat me to this joke, I'm sure I'll read it on the next page...)

Indeed. It was one of his cheekier moments.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GreenSheep on October 10, 2017, 05:08:38 PM
I can't believe I forgot about this...

My boyfriend (who is 6' tall) and I slept in the trunk of my car which is a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, a small 2-door sports hatchback. In a parking lot.

I know many of you have slept in cars, but I'd be impressed if you did it with two people in a 2-door sports hatchback (and not in the front seats, doesn't count!)

Did it. In a 1990s Acura Integra with my 6'3" then-boyfriend on the side of the road between Phoenix and Vegas, after we found out his sister-in-law, whom we were going to visit, didn't want us to take my dog. Oh yeah, there was a Chihuahua sleeping in the car with us, too. A not-quite-potty-trained Chihuahua puppy who peed in the car by our feet. And somehow this all seems like a *good* memory now!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MrsStubble on October 10, 2017, 07:19:49 PM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.

I used to wade in rivers and lakes and shock fish with car batteries for a living.   (aka USGS fish population/health surveys).   

When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)

a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost disney princess for about a week.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RetiredAt63 on October 10, 2017, 08:58:40 PM

I used to wade in rivers and lakes and shock fish with car batteries for a living.   (aka USGS fish population/health surveys).   
Quote
Amazing what can turn up - anything unusual?
When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)
Quote
That is impressive, those who do fish electroshock usually do not look like high class call girls.  More like trailer park girls.
a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost Disney princess for about a week.
You have amnesia, you are a lost Disney princess.  I once had a kestrel land on my toque (I was wearing it at the time).  Not the same.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Travis on October 10, 2017, 09:06:30 PM


a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost disney princess for about a week.

Because you were propositioned or because you don't drive a car to work?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: driftwood on October 11, 2017, 01:27:31 AM
Fueled Air Force One - shortly after the President and First Lady got off the plane and onto Marine One for the G7 Summit in Sicily.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 11, 2017, 07:24:48 AM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.

I used to wade in rivers and lakes and shock fish with car batteries for a living.   (aka USGS fish population/health surveys). 

When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)

a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost disney princess for about a week.

This always intrigued us (as terrestrial biologists).  DH got an opportunity to volunteer with a fisheries crew doing this type of survey once, but I still haven't seen this technique done.... maybe someday we'll move somewhere with more water and I'll get my wish.

ETA: DH speculated, would you have gone if it was Clinton/Gore LOL? Also, fun trying to picture a high class call girl shocking fish and then doing the scooping and measuring.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tass on October 11, 2017, 01:49:15 PM
Fueled Air Force One - shortly after the President and First Lady got off the plane and onto Marine One for the G7 Summit in Sicily.

Is it still technically Air Force One if the president is not currently on the plane?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 11, 2017, 04:06:22 PM
In a universe of infinite possibilities, finding unique experiences is much easier than finding shared ones.  For example, I am the very first person in the history of everything to ever write this exact sentence, including the nonsense SQRT XZ bloonkies.  This is true for most complex sentences, even ones without nonsense in them.

But while we're discussing noteworthy or memorable unique experiences, allow me to offer a slight meta take:  I have been to places that no other human being has ever been within miles of (spoiler: in the more remote parts of Antarctica).  Am I the only person here who has ever had the experience of being the only person to ever be somewhere?  Even the moon has 12 different people's footprints on it.

On a related note, I have had 50 year old whiskey with 500,000 year old ice in it.

The problem with this challenge is that most of the cool stuff sort of outs you, to a forum where we mostly try to conceal our real identities.  If you fess up to having run a four minute mile or stood atop Mt. Everest or played for the Seahawks, then there's a pretty short list of people you might be.  No thanks.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SisterX on October 11, 2017, 04:43:30 PM
I love this thread. Mine are pretty tame compared to others, but they're among my best memories.

I biked through Siberia (technically the Sakha Republic) with my brother and slept a night by the Lena River in a tent. Yes, there was snow on the ground. The river iced over during the night.

I took my daughter snowmachining, strapped to my chest, when she was just six weeks old. (It's the only way to get to my in-laws' cabin in the winter.)

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I've camped north of the Arctic Circle and waded in the Yukon River.

I've gotten to enjoy a natural hot springs at -40 and with the Northern Lights dancing above.

I biked through the express lanes (closed) of a local freeway.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: HPstache on October 11, 2017, 05:00:23 PM
I once played Denzel Washington in a ping pong game.  It was on a cruise to Mexico and it was a tournament... unfortunately, I lost!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MrsStubble on October 11, 2017, 07:44:47 PM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.

I used to wade in rivers and lakes and shock fish with car batteries for a living.   (aka USGS fish population/health surveys). 

When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)

a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost disney princess for about a week.

This always intrigued us (as terrestrial biologists).  DH got an opportunity to volunteer with a fisheries crew doing this type of survey once, but I still haven't seen this technique done.... maybe someday we'll move somewhere with more water and I'll get my wish.

ETA: DH speculated, would you have gone if it was Clinton/Gore LOL? Also, fun trying to picture a high class call girl shocking fish and then doing the scooping and measuring.

HAHAHA!

Lol, no, not for clinton/gore either.    But that's more for personal taste reasons than political ;)  Obama maybe???  He at least was pleasant to look at.

Yes, there's nothing classier call-girl style than a girl in full waiters dragging a boat with car batteries in it behind her wading through shallow water picking up cat fish and bottom suckers.  The nicest part was finding baby sturgeon in the delaware river below Philadelphia.   The worst part, was being volunteered to remove all the poison ivy  we came across.    It was a fun project, and nice to see the underside of NJ, NY, PA, DE unused riverways and streams.    I've also done testing in the NJ meadowlands and let me tell you, there are some seriously large blue claw crabs there.  Shame its so polluted.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MrsStubble on October 11, 2017, 07:50:39 PM

I used to wade in rivers and lakes and shock fish with car batteries for a living.   (aka USGS fish population/health surveys).   
Quote
Amazing what can turn up - anything unusual?

sturgeon in the polluted delaware river which was a huge exciting find!   Beyond that it was mostly catfish, sunnies, and an occasional bass. 

When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)
Quote
That is impressive, those who do fish electroshock usually do not look like high class call girls.  More like trailer park girls.

I was my very republican friend's hero for a few weeks there.  For me it was so awkward, i will pick fish electroshocking any day!


a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost Disney princess for about a week.
You have amnesia, you are a lost Disney princess.  I once had a kestrel land on my toque (I was wearing it at the time).  Not the same.

YES!!!  I knew it!   Now i am going to have to teach birds and squirrels to come to me when i sing :)

A kestral would be equally as awesome, though i suspect i'd be a little more scared than anything else.   Did you get to keep your toque or did your bird friend decide they wanted it.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cork on October 11, 2017, 10:31:43 PM
I chased a wild hedgehog while drunk. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: mrmoolaman on October 12, 2017, 12:25:28 AM
Shook Prince William's hand. This one will definitely be cooler if/when he becomes the king.

Traveled to 14 different countries within a month. Guess that's not too rare, but maybe I'm the only one on these forums.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: driftwood on October 12, 2017, 05:46:15 AM
Fueled Air Force One - shortly after the President and First Lady got off the plane and onto Marine One for the G7 Summit in Sicily.

Is it still technically Air Force One if the president is not currently on the plane?

Oh no! I guess it's not.  In that case we just refueled a random jet and it's partner jet, both really clean and shiny. And then a random set of three pretty helicopters.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: radram on October 12, 2017, 07:46:37 AM
Once received 2 full cases of overripe limes for free. Extracted the juice and froze it in ice cube trays(4 gallons of them).

As a civilian, witnessed the refueling of a stealth fighter miles above earth. As a bonus, since I new the boom operator, he allowed me to ride in the cockpit during the landing. There were 20 other civilians on board. It was a PR campaign for teachers. 2 hours of pre-flight training, 90 minutes of flight in a KC-135 to meet up with the fighter, and a 90 minute return flight, all for 90 seconds of watching the touch and go training mission with the fighter pilot about 10 feet from me. 5 hours for 90 seconds. I would have spent 500 hours to get the same experience.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: simonsez on October 12, 2017, 07:48:30 AM
-sex *on* Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP
-had 1000 aces for meld in pinochle
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 12, 2017, 07:59:56 AM

I used to wade in rivers and lakes and shock fish with car batteries for a living.   (aka USGS fish population/health surveys).   
Quote
Amazing what can turn up - anything unusual?

sturgeon in the polluted delaware river which was a huge exciting find!   Beyond that it was mostly catfish, sunnies, and an occasional bass. 

When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)
Quote
That is impressive, those who do fish electroshock usually do not look like high class call girls.  More like trailer park girls.

I was my very republican friend's hero for a few weeks there.  For me it was so awkward, i will pick fish electroshocking any day!


a hummingbird landed on my hand one day when i was walking to work.  I swore i was a lost Disney princess for about a week.
You have amnesia, you are a lost Disney princess.  I once had a kestrel land on my toque (I was wearing it at the time).  Not the same.

YES!!!  I knew it!   Now i am going to have to teach birds and squirrels to come to me when i sing :)

A kestral would be equally as awesome, though i suspect i'd be a little more scared than anything else.   Did you get to keep your toque or did your bird friend decide they wanted it.

I have long experience with kestrels, and I can assure you they prefer cuticles LOL.  Bitey little buggers.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MandyM on October 12, 2017, 08:13:43 AM
I'm very much a boring homebody that does not enjoy much adventure. But I can add this: When I was 14 Iwoke up in the middle of a major abdominal surgery (my scar is about 6 inches long). Yes, it hurt a lot. It was actually many years before I realized what had happened, I originally just thought that I woke up before the painkillers kicked in or something...but it always seemed strange that the recovery room was so bright, so blindingly bright that I couldn't open my eyes. And when I tried to move, someone grabbed my shoulder HARD and said DON'T MOVE, then I was out again. I think I was in my 30's when I read an article about people waking up during surgery and it all clicked immediately. I am lucky that I was able to move so that the doctors knew - some people are aware and can feel pain, but are otherwise paralyzed.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cezil on October 12, 2017, 08:49:40 AM
DMT

Nope, me too :)    Though maybe you did it on purpose. If "DMT on purpose", it's yours.

Me three. :) 2013, medicine men and woman down in Peru/Amazon Jungle, 4 ceremonies.  Glad I'm not the only one here. :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: omachi on October 12, 2017, 09:07:41 AM
Slept in a quinzhee of my own making for three nights, during a cold-weather wilderness camping trip.

Or is this something that teenagers do for fun in Canada?

We do it for fun in the northern states. Try again. :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Inaya on October 12, 2017, 09:09:13 AM
I'm very much a boring homebody that does not enjoy much adventure. But I can add this: When I was 14 Iwoke up in the middle of a major abdominal surgery (my scar is about 6 inches long). Yes, it hurt a lot. It was actually many years before I realized what had happened, I originally just thought that I woke up before the painkillers kicked in or something...but it always seemed strange that the recovery room was so bright, so blindingly bright that I couldn't open my eyes. And when I tried to move, someone grabbed my shoulder HARD and said DON'T MOVE, then I was out again. I think I was in my 30's when I read an article about people waking up during surgery and it all clicked immediately. I am lucky that I was able to move so that the doctors knew - some people are aware and can feel pain, but are otherwise paralyzed.

I woke up during a medical procedure as well! It was a follow-up procedure to surgery, rather than the actual surgery, but they were poking around inside me via incision with medical equipment, and they caused an unidentified bleed in the process, so I think it counts. It was only for a second or two, and all I remember was this incredibly painful scraping sensation in my midsection, bright lights, and some sort of medical... chart? image? poster? on the wall in front of me (I'm not sure if I was on my side or if my head was just turned toward the wall for some reason?). I think I can add this one to the anti-bucket-list.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Kris on October 12, 2017, 09:18:37 AM
I'm very much a boring homebody that does not enjoy much adventure. But I can add this: When I was 14 Iwoke up in the middle of a major abdominal surgery (my scar is about 6 inches long). Yes, it hurt a lot. It was actually many years before I realized what had happened, I originally just thought that I woke up before the painkillers kicked in or something...but it always seemed strange that the recovery room was so bright, so blindingly bright that I couldn't open my eyes. And when I tried to move, someone grabbed my shoulder HARD and said DON'T MOVE, then I was out again. I think I was in my 30's when I read an article about people waking up during surgery and it all clicked immediately. I am lucky that I was able to move so that the doctors knew - some people are aware and can feel pain, but are otherwise paralyzed.

I woke up during a medical procedure as well! It was a follow-up procedure to surgery, rather than the actual surgery, but they were poking around inside me via incision with medical equipment, and they caused an unidentified bleed in the process, so I think it counts. It was only for a second or two, and all I remember was this incredibly painful scraping sensation in my midsection, bright lights, and some sort of medical... chart? image? poster? on the wall in front of me (I'm not sure if I was on my side or if my head was just turned toward the wall for some reason?). I think I can add this one to the anti-bucket-list.

Weird. This isn't nearly as crazy, but it happened recently so it's in my mind. I had my first colonoscopy about six weeks ago (yay for being 50!). Everyone told me (including the attending nurses) that I would be awake for the procedure, but I'd be anesthetized and wouldn't remember any of it. And when my husband had his, he ended up not recalling any of it, including my conversation with him when he was in recovery. So I was assuming I wouldn't remember, but in fact I remember all of it. With enough detail that the nurses and my husband confirm that I'm right -- the anesthesia didn't take me down deep enough for me to forget.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RetiredAt63 on October 12, 2017, 09:45:24 AM

Weird. This isn't nearly as crazy, but it happened recently so it's in my mind. I had my first colonoscopy about six weeks ago (yay for being 50!). Everyone told me (including the attending nurses) that I would be awake for the procedure, but I'd be anesthetized and wouldn't remember any of it. And when my husband had his, he ended up not recalling any of it, including my conversation with him when he was in recovery. So I was assuming I wouldn't remember, but in fact I remember all of it. With enough detail that the nurses and my husband confirm that I'm right -- the anesthesia didn't take me down deep enough for me to forget.

I was sedated, drifted in and out for mine, and when I was aware enough I watched the screen.  What pretty pink insides I have.  (yes, biologists are weird).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RetiredAt63 on October 12, 2017, 09:47:34 AM
A kestral would be equally as awesome, though i suspect i'd be a little more scared than anything else.   Did you get to keep your toque or did your bird friend decide they wanted it.

I was merely a convenient perching spot.  It landed, sat for a bit, and left.  I was just glad it chose my hat since I would have felt its claws at any other landing site. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: the_fixer on October 12, 2017, 11:23:34 AM
1. I have been inside the main pyramid at Chichen Itza and was able to stand next to the Jade Jaguar
2. My first job at age 13 was working a month at a time on a long line commercial fishing boat
3. Spent New years eve in a limo with several WWF "superstars"
4. Got paid to hang out backstage at the DNC right behind the blue curtain watching people come and go
5. lived in the Stanley hotel for 6 months
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GreenSheep on October 12, 2017, 12:10:39 PM
1. I have been inside the main pyramid at Chichen Itza and was able to stand next to the Jade Jaguar
2. My first job at age 13 was working a month at a time on a long line commercial fishing boat
3. Spent New years eve in a limo with several WWF "superstars"
4. Got paid to hang out backstage at the DNC right behind the blue curtain watching people come and go
5. lived in the Stanley hotel for 6 months

The Stanley! Tell us more! I don't believe in haunted places, but I bet 6 months there had to be interesting nonetheless. Beautiful area.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rubic on October 12, 2017, 12:41:01 PM
Rode Six Gap (http://www.6gap.com/) on a unicycle.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Luke Warm on October 12, 2017, 01:35:59 PM
Rode Six Gap (http://www.6gap.com/) on a unicycle.

nice!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Laura33 on October 12, 2017, 06:45:57 PM
I'm very much a boring homebody that does not enjoy much adventure. But I can add this: When I was 14 Iwoke up in the middle of a major abdominal surgery (my scar is about 6 inches long). Yes, it hurt a lot. It was actually many years before I realized what had happened, I originally just thought that I woke up before the painkillers kicked in or something...but it always seemed strange that the recovery room was so bright, so blindingly bright that I couldn't open my eyes. And when I tried to move, someone grabbed my shoulder HARD and said DON'T MOVE, then I was out again. I think I was in my 30's when I read an article about people waking up during surgery and it all clicked immediately. I am lucky that I was able to move so that the doctors knew - some people are aware and can feel pain, but are otherwise paralyzed.

I woke up during a medical procedure as well! It was a follow-up procedure to surgery, rather than the actual surgery, but they were poking around inside me via incision with medical equipment, and they caused an unidentified bleed in the process, so I think it counts. It was only for a second or two, and all I remember was this incredibly painful scraping sensation in my midsection, bright lights, and some sort of medical... chart? image? poster? on the wall in front of me (I'm not sure if I was on my side or if my head was just turned toward the wall for some reason?). I think I can add this one to the anti-bucket-list.

Me three! I was 9, and for some reason they needed to stick a tube down my throat to suction out my lungs (I don't know if it was related to my allergies/asthma, or if I had pneumonia or something).  Woke up gagging with the tube still down my throat in a very bright room; I remember the nurse noticing my eyes were open and hearing some panicked voices, and they must have adjusted something, because maybe 15-20 seconds later I was back under.  I mentioned it to my dad after, and the docs and everyone denied that it had happened, said sometimes the drugs give people weird dreams or whatever.  Wasn't until I was reading an article a few years ago about this sort of thing that I realized, yes, it really did happen.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: the_fixer on October 12, 2017, 06:49:16 PM
The Stanley! Tell us more! I don't believe in haunted places, but I bet 6 months there had to be interesting nonetheless. Beautiful area.

I am sure this will be a letdown but other than it being really creepy feeling in the basement it was just a normal old building. Probably one of the coolest experiences as a kid having the run of the place, playing croquet on the front lawn, climbing on the boulders around the property and hanging out with the cooks in the kitchen while eating lunch.

My mom worked there for years but I do not remember any poltergeist talk / hype back then but i was a little kid so maybe people shielded me from it being a little kid?


We continued to live in Estes for several years and it was a great place to live   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: hoping2retire35 on October 13, 2017, 11:22:44 AM
Some fun ones here!

- rode BMX bike off the marina dock in Westlake Village CA
- Backpacked 28days straight in Sierra Nevada Mountains; zero re-supply, zero contact w/outside world
- rode mtb bike up Pikes Peak Barr Trail, the hiking trial. well, mostly pushed.
- Rode mtb back down. had several blowouts on the way down b/c the rim brakes got the rim so hot the tubes melted.
- routinely mowed 45 lawns/wk during Houston summers.
- Mowed 17 laws/day Saturdays, for some weeks after college started and Sat was my only free day to make $$
- tried really hard to open a screw-cap bottle of gin with a bottle opener. I may have been inebriated.
- high centered a rental Jeep in Moab and got lost on the walk back in November at night while on honeymoon
- Identical twin daughters born on the 4th of July
- Drove 1,000 miles in 14hrs in a 500hp Corvette and got 32mpg
- lost my virginity on my wedding night
- Bought a dozen Caped Flying Screaming Monkeys from Amazon because...  self explanatory
- Wore a Utilikilt to an Indian/Cajun wedding/reception
- was mistaken for a homosexual Communist
- Took 24 credit hour load and made 4.0 in 1 semester
- took 6 children + DW camping
- Built an isobaric subwoofer
- built an infinite baffle subwoofer
- removed perfectly functioning AC from vehicles. Twice.
- owned 5 personal vehicles at once, all of which operated perfectly (pre-MMM of course)
- walked 15 miles r/t to work for 3 weeks in 100 degree heat
- was gifted a polished stainless Colt 1911 45ACP for high school graduation.
- ate sushi blindfolded with 85 co-workers in Bolivia

Tomorrow, and most Saturdays:
- take 7 children on an 8 mile walk for breakfast tacos

why the kilt? are you scottish or is that a cajun thing?

editmine; Grew up a few houses from the family home of and am distantly related to the first american miss universe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Stevenson
with a  ton of work you could probably figure out who I am.

And secondly, ugh so embarrassing. I accidentally, literally, shot myself in the foot. It was only a .22 so I was fine, no long term problems, I run a lot and can run a 6ish mile.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rosy on October 13, 2017, 11:26:49 AM
OK - I'll play

Spent the night with an American soldier - drinking wine ...:) in the ruins of Frankenstein Castle in Germany.

Miraculously survived a domestic gun assault - he sat beside me and pulled the trigger. The gun did not work, although he fired three shots just minutes before.

Long life, lots of stories to tell, most of them not suitable for forum discussion:), but I'll give you this one:
During a visit to friends in Turkey - Kurdish Freedom Fighters came late one night and removed us to an even more remote location in the mountains. Slept on the floor in a small home with strangers. Woke us up at five am, gave us ice cold well water to wash and drink (the things you remember:) and a hurried breakfast and sent us on our way.
News the next day spoke of terrorist bombings and there were military troops everywhere on that lone mountain road back to the tourist hubs.

Here's a little woo woo experience - eons ago.
Speeding down the Houston freeway in back of an oil tanker - I contemplated suicide, thinking how easy it would be to just run into that tanker and be free from pain and desperation.
I started speeding up even more - when I heard a strong, measured male voice say, "What about your son?"
It startled me. I looked in the backseat - no one there.

Young - daring and incredibly stupid...
Talked a friend into "borrowing" a five ton military truck from the motor pool overnight to move to another town four hours away. Rode along in the truck, wore "borrowed" military fatigues. Pretended to sleep while we fueled up on another base along the way, lest my accent gave me away:)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: NoraLenderbee on October 13, 2017, 11:35:31 AM
I've edited thousand-page books. More than one.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Stash Engineer on October 13, 2017, 04:34:50 PM
You guys and gals have cool and interesting experiences, except you Rosy - those are scary!  I've been sitting above the boom operator while refueling a B1 bomber, so strike that one from the list. 

I scored 97% on the Air Force navigator aptitude test (but was later disqualified due to poor eye sight). 
I've also dislocated my jaw, but it wasn't due to ass strike.
I've eaten honey bee larva.




Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MM_MG on October 13, 2017, 11:30:13 PM
I'll play.

I am not an first responder, but I have given life saving CPR...twice...to the same person...that I am not related to...on different occasions...that were more than a year apart.

Oh, and I've also woken up during a surgery.  Fun times! 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SingleMomDebt on October 14, 2017, 12:05:54 AM
Tripped on acid in a cemetery, uh, about 50 times.

Done this in my gothic years.

Still trying to think of something....
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 14, 2017, 03:10:17 AM
Come on, y'all, there are loads of duplicates in this thread! Better up your game! :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: radram on October 14, 2017, 07:40:04 AM
You guys and gals have cool and interesting experiences, except you Rosy - those are scary!  I've been sitting above the boom operator while refueling a B1 bomber, so strike that one from the list. 

You got me, unless you were not in the cockpit during landing. In that case, I will sheepishly claim no one else has done it. I guess if you say you were in the cock pit on another flight, then I am out :)

It is quite a view from up there isn't it?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: limeandpepper on October 14, 2017, 08:28:54 AM
I've eaten honey bee larva.

Got you there, I've eaten larva too! Though I'm not sure if the ones I had were bee, hornet or wasp. But any of those are close enough!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: limeandpepper on October 14, 2017, 08:46:12 AM
Sticky taped various freshly dissected cockroach parts into a biology workbook. Carried around that same workbook for school for the rest of the semester. I am curious to know if other high schools make their students do this or was mine just particularly gross?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SingleMomDebt on October 14, 2017, 10:08:07 AM
Got one! Biopsy grossing a severed finger. Work, y'all. Poor dude.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: solon on October 14, 2017, 11:47:33 AM
Got one! Biopsy grossing a severed finger. Work, y'all. Poor dude.

I have been an English speaker for a very long time, but I have no idea what is being said here.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 14, 2017, 05:03:26 PM
Got one! Biopsy grossing a severed finger. Work, y'all. Poor dude.

I have been an English speaker for a very long time, but I have no idea what is being said here.

"I have a good story ton contribute to this thread!  I work in a medical facility and one day we removed a finger as part of a procedure.  Working in the medical profession sure is crazy, folks.  I felt really bad for the poor guy with the missing finger."
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: tthree on October 14, 2017, 06:23:38 PM
Judged the world's oldest female gymnast in Vault finals at an International Competition.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: solon on October 14, 2017, 07:23:01 PM
Got one! Biopsy grossing a severed finger. Work, y'all. Poor dude.

I have been an English speaker for a very long time, but I have no idea what is being said here.

"I have a good story ton contribute to this thread!  I work in a medical facility and one day we removed a finger as part of a procedure.  Working in the medical profession sure is crazy, folks.  I felt really bad for the poor guy with the missing finger."

lol sol
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Bicycle_B on October 14, 2017, 07:26:29 PM
Broke up a drug dealing gang
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Astatine on October 14, 2017, 07:50:25 PM
When I was a child (maybe 8 or 9yo?), I met the Governor General of Australia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor-General_of_Australia) (link for those who might not know what that role is), Sir Ninian Stephen.

However:
1) I didn't know who he was when he started making polite small talk with me.
2) I was a very shy socially clueless child.
3) (most importantly) I had severe laryngitis at the time and couldn't have spoken even if I'd wanted to.

Context was I was waiting in the foyer for a classical music concert (or something like that) and he just happened to be there too.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: anotherAlias on October 14, 2017, 08:28:55 PM
I love this thread.  My life is pretty boring except for that one time I almost had a car accident with a bathtub.   I was sitting at a red light behind a junk truck.  The truck was heaping with assorted junk and balanced precariously at the top was an old claw foot tub.  When the light turned green and the truck accelerated, the tub started wobbling.  Then as if in slow motion, I watched the tub fall off the truck and land right in front of my car.  Thankfully I waited longer than normal to accelerate or the story wouldn't have been as amusing.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dollar Slice on October 15, 2017, 12:36:51 AM
Was reminded of one today... I've been visible in the audience in at least four different concert films/music documentaries. (One of them was never officially released/finished, but I saw an unreleased rough cut, so I'm counting it.) 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: marty998 on October 15, 2017, 12:43:16 AM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: driftwood on October 15, 2017, 02:00:21 AM
You guys and gals have cool and interesting experiences, except you Rosy - those are scary!  I've been sitting above the boom operator while refueling a B1 bomber, so strike that one from the list. 

You got me, unless you were not in the cockpit during landing. In that case, I will sheepishly claim no one else has done it. I guess if you say you were in the cock pit on another flight, then I am out :)

It is quite a view from up there isn't it?

I've been both in the back with the boom operator and in the cockpit (entire flight), but those were two separate flights.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: radram on October 15, 2017, 06:51:35 AM
You guys and gals have cool and interesting experiences, except you Rosy - those are scary!  I've been sitting above the boom operator while refueling a B1 bomber, so strike that one from the list. 

You got me, unless you were not in the cockpit during landing. In that case, I will sheepishly claim no one else has done it. I guess if you say you were in the cock pit on another flight, then I am out :)

It is quite a view from up there isn't it?

I've been both in the back with the boom operator and in the cockpit (entire flight), but those were two separate flights.

I'm out :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 15, 2017, 10:24:16 AM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.

I had crunchy cockroach once. Must have fallen into the bread dough and got baked in. It was years before I could eat cream cheese sandwiches after that without gagging.

Did enjoy roasted armadillo. Whale, on the other hand, was nasty.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 15, 2017, 10:54:59 AM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.

I had crunchy cockroach once. Must have fallen into the bread dough and got baked in. It was years before I could eat cream cheese sandwiches after that without gagging.

Did enjoy roasted armadillo. Whale, on the other hand, was nasty.

I ate nearly raw porcupine once. Also not great.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on October 15, 2017, 01:31:06 PM
Ladymarkbike528cbx was bitten on the lip by a turtle.
At age 50. In her ex-husband's backyard ( his turtle).

Her friend was holding said turtle, insisting that Ladymarkbike528cbx " kiss the turtle".

You may be amazed to find out that alchohol was involved.

Corrective surgery was required.

I did get permission to relay this story.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BussoV6 on October 16, 2017, 08:28:52 AM
Got invited to a beach party held for all the Miss World contestants. Ended up chatting to the mother of Miss Venezuela. mmm...

Met Nelson Mandela.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Unique User on October 16, 2017, 08:53:18 AM
I was a realtor for two years, first transaction was as a buyer's agent for a $10.5M house.  Also, was a caterer for about 8 years, one of our first catering jobs was for MTV for the cast of Real World/Road Rules.  I've never seen so many empty liquor bottles and underwear laying randomly around a house when we brought breakfast each morning.  Also catered for the BLM during wildfires, at 11,000 feet with no power for a couple photo shoots and for a Forbes 400 CEO's birthday weekend.  The number of CEOs and 1% at the weekend was pretty amazing.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: AlanStache on October 16, 2017, 10:07:13 AM
I was a realtor for two years, first transaction was as a buyer's agent for a $10.5M house.  Also, was a caterer for about 8 years, one of our first catering jobs was for MTV for the cast of Real World/Road Rules.  I've never seen so many empty liquor bottles and underwear laying randomly around a house when we brought breakfast each morning.  Also catered for the BLM during wildfires, at 11,000 feet with no power for a couple photo shoots and for a Forbes 400 CEO's birthday weekend.  The number of CEOs and 1% at the weekend was pretty amazing.   

Black Lives Matter were at 11kft with some fire fighters and no power for a CEOs b-day?


Started a dance line at an Oktoberfest party in Japan.  5000+ people having a blast - I was probably one of five English speakers there.  They had a great classic rock cover band; I remember being shit-faced and wondering if any of the locals had any clue what "Sweet Home Alabama" was about.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Norrie on October 16, 2017, 09:59:55 PM
I got in an argument with Marilyn Manson in the middle of a field outside of Budapest. We later made up and shared books (pre-Kindle days).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 16, 2017, 10:30:36 PM
Bilateral external fixators.

Not coincidentally, also on my anti-bucket list.  Not recommended.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on October 17, 2017, 04:37:26 AM
Bilateral external fixators.

Not coincidentally, also on my anti-bucket list.  Not recommended.

Sol, you might want to add something to give your fixators uniqueness.   
I haven't had them, but I've seen them in my relatively tiny social circle, therefore I must assume they are common.
But ouch anyway.  I'll try to avoid the need for them.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on October 17, 2017, 07:35:09 AM
I was a realtor for two years, first transaction was as a buyer's agent for a $10.5M house.  Also, was a caterer for about 8 years, one of our first catering jobs was for MTV for the cast of Real World/Road Rules.  I've never seen so many empty liquor bottles and underwear laying randomly around a house when we brought breakfast each morning.  Also catered for the BLM during wildfires, at 11,000 feet with no power for a couple photo shoots and for a Forbes 400 CEO's birthday weekend.  The number of CEOs and 1% at the weekend was pretty amazing.   

Black Lives Matter were at 11kft with some fire fighters and no power for a CEOs b-day?


Started a dance line at an Oktoberfest party in Japan.  5000+ people having a blast - I was probably one of five English speakers there.  They had a great classic rock cover band; I remember being shit-faced and wondering if any of the locals had any clue what "Sweet Home Alabama" was about.

LOL...I have this instant of extreme confusion every single time the press reports on Black Lives Matter using the acronym.  I'm probably never going to get past life long conditioning for that acronym. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 17, 2017, 08:57:53 AM
I haven't had them, but I've seen them in my relatively tiny social circle, therefore I must assume they are common.

Given your username, I'm fairly certain that your familiarity with bilateral fixators derives from the same place that mine does.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: gaja on October 17, 2017, 08:59:54 AM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.

I had crunchy cockroach once. Must have fallen into the bread dough and got baked in. It was years before I could eat cream cheese sandwiches after that without gagging.

Did enjoy roasted armadillo. Whale, on the other hand, was nasty.
Fresh whale is delicious. But it doesn't age well, and you have to get rid of the blood. If not, it will soon develop a sharp taste of rancid cod liver oil. If that is what you found "nasty", you should consider giving whale a second chance.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on October 17, 2017, 09:48:41 AM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.

I had crunchy cockroach once. Must have fallen into the bread dough and got baked in. It was years before I could eat cream cheese sandwiches after that without gagging.

Did enjoy roasted armadillo. Whale, on the other hand, was nasty.
Fresh whale is delicious. But it doesn't age well, and you have to get rid of the blood. If not, it will soon develop a sharp taste of rancid cod liver oil. If that is what you found "nasty", you should consider giving whale a second chance.
I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Mississippi Mudstache on October 17, 2017, 10:37:13 AM
Ate armadillo chili, served it its own shell. That's all I got.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 17, 2017, 12:29:00 PM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.

I had crunchy cockroach once. Must have fallen into the bread dough and got baked in. It was years before I could eat cream cheese sandwiches after that without gagging.

Did enjoy roasted armadillo. Whale, on the other hand, was nasty.
Fresh whale is delicious. But it doesn't age well, and you have to get rid of the blood. If not, it will soon develop a sharp taste of rancid cod liver oil. If that is what you found "nasty", you should consider giving whale a second chance.
I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?

Presumably you invite the entire village and all the neighbouring villages and all of their wife's friends, their families, their families' servants and their families' servants' tennis partners and have a whale of a time!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: gaja on October 17, 2017, 01:17:31 PM
I ate a tarantula in Cambodia.

I was not keen on the juicy cockroach however.

I had crunchy cockroach once. Must have fallen into the bread dough and got baked in. It was years before I could eat cream cheese sandwiches after that without gagging.

Did enjoy roasted armadillo. Whale, on the other hand, was nasty.
Fresh whale is delicious. But it doesn't age well, and you have to get rid of the blood. If not, it will soon develop a sharp taste of rancid cod liver oil. If that is what you found "nasty", you should consider giving whale a second chance.
I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?

Presumably you invite the entire village and all the neighbouring villages and all of their wife's friends, their families, their families' servants and their families' servants' tennis partners and have a whale of a time!

There are these things called freezers.

But yeah; those natives who do subsistence hunting do share everything throughout the village, and it is often gone by the next day. They normally hunt the smaller ones, like pilot whales (up to 2 ton slaughterweight). The Faroese method, for instance, is to split each whale into 1-30 parts of around 30 kg blubber and 40 kg meat (measuring unit: skinn). Each hunter or village member gets 1/2-1 part, that each of them share with their extended family. The blubber can be salted and kept, and 20-40 kg of meat is not much when you share it with your family, friends, and neighbours.  The smallest whales are generally the most tender and taste best. When I was a kid, we got hold of a harbour porpoise that had drowned in a fishing net. The blubber was not edible, but the meat was very nice.

Meat from larger whales (primarily the minke) is only hunted commercially in small numbers and few places. These are slaughtered and frozen as soon as possible, but I personally find they taste rancid more often than not. If you go out to the islands and buy directly from the boats, you can be lucky. But the stuff you find in the freezers in larger towns is a game of chance.

Few servants or tennis courts in traditional whale hunting areas, BTW.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BlueHouse on October 17, 2017, 01:18:32 PM
Bit by a monkey
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Russ on October 17, 2017, 09:46:28 PM
I hiked 70 miles eating only potato chips
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 18, 2017, 06:21:40 AM

I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?

Presumably you invite the entire village and all the neighbouring villages and all of their wife's friends, their families, their families' servants and their families' servants' tennis partners and have a whale of a time!

There are these things called freezers.

...

Few servants or tennis courts in traditional whale hunting areas, BTW.

(It was a joke from Blackadder. I think I missed a bit off the end about some chap I met in the mess the other day called Bernard which might have made the joke more explicit. See also: whale of a time.)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SisterX on October 18, 2017, 09:29:03 AM

I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?

Presumably you invite the entire village and all the neighbouring villages and all of their wife's friends, their families, their families' servants and their families' servants' tennis partners and have a whale of a time!

There are these things called freezers.

...

Few servants or tennis courts in traditional whale hunting areas, BTW.

(It was a joke from Blackadder. I think I missed a bit off the end about some chap I met in the mess the other day called Bernard which might have made the joke more explicit. See also: whale of a time.)

Since I love Blackadder, I got the joke!! You're not the only one, SLTD.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 18, 2017, 10:19:11 AM

I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?

Presumably you invite the entire village and all the neighbouring villages and all of their wife's friends, their families, their families' servants and their families' servants' tennis partners and have a whale of a time!

There are these things called freezers.

...

Few servants or tennis courts in traditional whale hunting areas, BTW.

(It was a joke from Blackadder. I think I missed a bit off the end about some chap I met in the mess the other day called Bernard which might have made the joke more explicit. See also: whale of a time.)

Since I love Blackadder, I got the joke!! You're not the only one, SLTD.

I do have a questionable sense of humour that revolves around puns and quotes from old British comedy shows. I have now learned to never ever try to explain why the joke is funny if someone hasn't seen the original... except sometimes I forget I have learned that! I am currently wearing these socks which I bought as a reference to a 1970s TV show: https://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=11831843 Such points if anyone gets the joke!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: gaja on October 18, 2017, 11:10:47 AM

I would have thought the problem of quantity would make the consumption of an entire whale while fresh somewhat problematic?

Presumably you invite the entire village and all the neighbouring villages and all of their wife's friends, their families, their families' servants and their families' servants' tennis partners and have a whale of a time!

There are these things called freezers.

...

Few servants or tennis courts in traditional whale hunting areas, BTW.

(It was a joke from Blackadder. I think I missed a bit off the end about some chap I met in the mess the other day called Bernard which might have made the joke more explicit. See also: whale of a time.)

(Must admit this one flew over my head. Have seen some of Blackadder, but I'm not the biggest fan of Atkinson. Probably heresy in British circles, but that is life.)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Trudie on October 18, 2017, 01:56:23 PM
Lunch with Oprah.

This actually reminded me of one I forgot.  I was a member of a 3 person group selected to take Richard Leakey out to dinner after he gave a lecture at our university. I was thinking as I drove to the dinner that he might not want to talk more 'shop', but our group was biologists so that is indeed how the conversation started.  Leakey was obviously soon kind of bored and tuning out, so I asked him to tell us about his vineyard on the edge of the Rift Valley and how he got into wine-making, and BOOM, he lit up with happiness and talked like crazy the rest of the dinner. And invited us to come visit so he could show us around LOL.  Good job, me!

Lunch with Oprah was related to an award I received from a foundation when I was in high school.  I won a national journalism award.  I went to this thing out in California and it was a who's who of famous faces.  One of the days we had lunch with famous people.  I was so shy I could hardly talk to her, and regret it to this day.  This was during one of her famous liquid diet phases and she ate like two peas.  I remember getting announced for something (most of us did) and Tom Brokaw was at the next table.  As I rose from my seat to be acknowledged he smiled and gave me the nod.  (Presumably because it was a journalism award).  The whole thing is really surreal now.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JLee on October 18, 2017, 02:43:46 PM
Ooh, another one. Crashed a race car into a tire wall.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: solon on October 18, 2017, 02:46:37 PM
I was on a red-eye train from Rome to Munich. They vastly oversold the train. Not only were there no more seats available, but the hallway and ends of the cars (where the WCs are) were packed - standing room only.

We, of course, were right next to the WC door, so anyone who had any business to do had to go by me. At one point we think there were 5 women in that tiny closet. A young mother with an infant, and older woman who must have been her mother, and an even older woman who must have been her grandmother. And I don't know who all else. We joked about how many women it takes to change a diaper.

There was this German family with a mute teenage son heading home. There was an Italian lady with a 5-gallon jug of homemade wine. I was with a buddy who speaks English and German. The German family spoke German and Italian. The Italian lady spoke only Italian. And I speak only English. So, to communicate, my buddy spoke to the family in German, who then spoke to the lady in Italian. Then I heard about it in English.

That all got to be too much, so the lady opened her jug and started passing it around. Most of us took a polite sip, some of us a little more enthusiastically than others. But the lady spent the next several hours getting sloshed. A few hours into it, she was pinching my cheeks and shouting "¡Bellisimo!" and singing to me in sloshed Italian.

It was extremely cold. At some dark hour of the night, a young beautiful woman came back and we got to talking. She loaned me her jacket for the rest of the trip. She needed it back when she got off the train at dawn. I think she might have been an angel.

One train ride, so many memories.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Fomerly known as something on October 18, 2017, 04:34:59 PM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ptobest on October 18, 2017, 05:04:05 PM
When I was 18, I did a century ride (about 110 miles, so a bit more than a century technically) on a Walmart bike. I didn't even know what a century ride was when I did it, I just didn't own a car and wanted to visit my college boyfriend over the summer who happened to live a long ways away.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JLee on October 18, 2017, 05:22:28 PM
When I was 18, I did a century ride (about 110 miles, so a bit more than a century technically) on a Walmart bike. I didn't even know what a century ride was when I did it, I just didn't own a car and wanted to visit my college boyfriend over the summer who happened to live a long ways away.

Whoa...that's dedication.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on October 18, 2017, 06:23:07 PM
Ooh, another one. Crashed a race car into a tire wall.

 Not done myself, but I find it hard to believe that no one else has done that.

I'll see your car into tire wall and raise to motorcycle on top of the tire wall (sitting vertical too).

The corner worker asked " are you alright?"   Me: I'm fine but my wallet hurts real bad (brand new bike, new street plastic).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JLee on October 18, 2017, 06:49:20 PM
Ooh, another one. Crashed a race car into a tire wall.

 Not done myself, but I find it hard to believe that no one else has done that.

I'll see your car into tire wall and raise to motorcycle on top of the tire wall (sitting vertical too).

The corner worker asked " are you alright?"   Me: I'm fine but my wallet hurts real bad (brand new bike, new street plastic).

Ouch.

There aren't that many automotive enthusiasts here, given the nature of the forum.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: driftwood on October 19, 2017, 03:38:25 AM
Had lunch with Simon Sinek

Another random opportunity brought to me by my job. When I was invited I didn't even know who the guy was. After talking to him I watched his Ted Talk (in fact, he told us to watch the Ted Talk instead of buying his book because the main points were all in the talk).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on October 19, 2017, 05:56:39 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cache_Stash on October 19, 2017, 06:21:41 AM
DMT

Wow.  Please provide trip information if you're willing.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: NeonPegasus on October 19, 2017, 11:04:58 AM
Tomorrow, and most Saturdays:
- take 7 children on an 8 mile walk for breakfast tacos

Explain how you make this death march happen. I'm taking notes.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: NeonPegasus on October 19, 2017, 11:32:45 AM
- Had a pretty cool tour de births: c-section, hospital VBAC, then homebirth. I sometimes get embarrassed saying I had my third in a kiddie pool on my back porch. lol
- With my husband, thwarted a man taking a drunk girl off for undoubtedly nefarious purposes (he was a 40+ yr old creeper taking a blind drunk high school girl from her shocked and panicking friends)
- Did a 3 mi mud run/obstacle in a wedding dress – including crinoline and train. I scaled climbing walls and swam in it. I won best female costume award.
- Streaked my college campus in an orange fake fur fedora, passing the president of the college and dean of students, among others
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on October 19, 2017, 11:41:24 AM
snip,,,
- Streaked my college campus in an orange fake fur fedora, passing the president of the college and dean of students, among others

Was it neon orange?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: NeonPegasus on October 19, 2017, 12:07:27 PM
snip,,,
- Streaked my college campus in an orange fake fur fedora, passing the president of the college and dean of students, among others

Was it neon orange?

Bright but not neon. It belonged to my grandmother so it was from the late 60s/early 70s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 19, 2017, 12:33:06 PM
Tomorrow, and most Saturdays:
- take 7 children on an 8 mile walk for breakfast tacos

Explain how you make this death march happen. I'm taking notes.

I'm picturing cattle prods.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on October 19, 2017, 12:42:20 PM
I was on a red-eye train from Rome to Munich. They vastly oversold the train. Not only were there no more seats available, but the hallway and ends of the cars (where the WCs are) were packed - standing room only.

<snip>

One train ride, so many memories.

That does sound awesome. It's amazing that the unplanned, somewhat awry, experiences often provide the best memories.



Oh, I've taken 7+ kids on a 8+ mile hike, though not to get breakfast tacos. They were at-risk youth, too, which counter-intuitively made them easier to control and more grateful to be hiking and away from their shitty home lives. One begged not to go back; she didn't get along with her stepfather.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: lizi on October 19, 2017, 01:36:28 PM
I worked for a smoked salmon company in remote northwest Scotland for two months. I got all the smoked salmon I could eat, and surprisingly didn't get sick of it. I experienced one of the hazards of the job when a kipper bone got lodged in my finger. I didn't notice until it had ballooned up to about twice its size and I had track marks going up my arm veins. Luckily I was able to get to a doctor (45 minute bus ride to the nearest one) before it got any worse.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Caoineag on October 19, 2017, 04:12:01 PM
I voted for Donald Trump....

I doubt you are the only one here who did that, now admitting it on the other hand, I think you might get the prize for that one.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JLee on October 19, 2017, 06:00:18 PM
I voted for Donald Trump....

I doubt you are the only one here who did that, now admitting it on the other hand, I think you might get the prize for that one.

Nah, there are a few..
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Pushkina2 on October 19, 2017, 08:41:05 PM
Judged the world's oldest female gymnast in Vault finals at an International Competition.

Oksana Chusovitina ?!?!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 20, 2017, 07:00:01 AM
I voted for Donald Trump....

It's OK man, the first step is admitting that you have a problem.  :P
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PhilB on October 20, 2017, 07:16:45 AM
Another +1 on the Mayan pyramid.

How about wandered around Agatha Christie's bedroom whilst dressed in a wetsuit?

I think my wife should get the prize though - bitten by a dead polar bear.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: radram on October 20, 2017, 07:32:21 AM
I think my wife should get the prize though - bitten by a dead polar bear.
Details please.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: katscratch on October 20, 2017, 07:50:48 AM
Held a living human heart in my hands.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PhilB on October 20, 2017, 08:16:35 AM
I think my wife should get the prize though - bitten by a dead polar bear.
Details please.
DW's heavily pregnant friend went to stay at the friend's father's summer house with her toddler for a few days. DW volunteers to go help her - taking our baby plus toddler with her.  Puts baby to sleep in room with antique polar bear rug.  Baby cries.  Wife rushes in to settle him without turning light on.  Foot goes in bear's mouth.  Pregnant friend now has to look after two toddlers, one baby and DW who can't walk with stitches in her foot.  Apparently you really had to see the face of the doctor when he asked what had happened.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: radram on October 20, 2017, 08:43:20 AM
I think my wife should get the prize though - bitten by a dead polar bear.
Details please.
DW's heavily pregnant friend went to stay at the friend's father's summer house with her toddler for a few days. DW volunteers to go help her - taking our baby plus toddler with her.  Puts baby to sleep in room with antique polar bear rug.  Baby cries.  Wife rushes in to settle him without turning light on.  Foot goes in bear's mouth.  Pregnant friend now has to look after two toddlers, one baby and DW who can't walk with stitches in her foot.  Apparently you really had to see the face of the doctor when he asked what had happened.
That had me in stitches. Great story.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: brute on October 20, 2017, 09:01:15 AM
Won a state level strongman contest.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Fomerly known as something on October 20, 2017, 09:02:25 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on October 20, 2017, 09:48:34 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
It's happened to me too.  The fact that it can't be chalked up as a one-off for the purposes of this thread is testament to chronic sexism that sees a woman and sees a spousal appendage rather than an independent economic operator.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Poundwise on October 20, 2017, 10:09:17 AM
Accused of stealing laundry by "gypsies" (French Romany). After extricating myself from that uncomfortable situation, went back to my job of digging up goat bones.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GreenSheep on October 20, 2017, 10:28:50 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
It's happened to me too.  The fact that it can't be chalked up as a one-off for the purposes of this thread is testament to chronic sexism that sees a woman and sees a spousal appendage rather than an independent economic operator.

Am I missing something? It seems to me that if you're not wearing business attire and it's not lunchtime, it would be most reasonable for someone to guess that you're probably married if you're at a hotel or restaurant together. No one has ever assumed that my husband is my coworker; they always assume he's my husband. Of course if you're staying in different rooms at a hotel or requesting separate checks at a restaurant, then it would make more sense to assume you're probably not married and might, in fact, be coworkers on a business trip.

I'm a woman, and I understand that there are still areas of life where we are not treated equally to men, but I think this might be a case of looking for offensive action where none was meant. And in the long run, I think it makes people less likely to take our complaints about truly offensive situations seriously.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 20, 2017, 11:24:37 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
It's happened to me too.  The fact that it can't be chalked up as a one-off for the purposes of this thread is testament to chronic sexism that sees a woman and sees a spousal appendage rather than an independent economic operator.

Am I missing something? It seems to me that if you're not wearing business attire and it's not lunchtime, it would be most reasonable for someone to guess that you're probably married if you're at a hotel or restaurant together. No one has ever assumed that my husband is my coworker; they always assume he's my husband. Of course if you're staying in different rooms at a hotel or requesting separate checks at a restaurant, then it would make more sense to assume you're probably not married and might, in fact, be coworkers on a business trip.

I'm a woman, and I understand that there are still areas of life where we are not treated equally to men, but I think this might be a case of looking for offensive action where none was meant. And in the long run, I think it makes people less likely to take our complaints about truly offensive situations seriously.

I am reminded of a time at the end of university where my future wife and I went out to a very fancy dinner with three other couples to celebrate.  We happened to hav been seated around a round table:  Me (white dude) and my future wife (Phillipino girl), Chinese guy and Indian girl, Pakistani guy and black girl, Trinidadian guy and white girl.  When the bills finally came they had to be sent back because the server had assumed I was with the white girl, my wife was with the Chinese guy, etc.

Kinda racist?  I suppose it could have been, but I think we all chalked it up to an understandable assumption on the part of the waiter (who was actually really embarassed about it).  For better or worse, the brain often makes shortcut jumps to things commonly seen.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ptobest on October 20, 2017, 11:31:07 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
It's happened to me too.  The fact that it can't be chalked up as a one-off for the purposes of this thread is testament to chronic sexism that sees a woman and sees a spousal appendage rather than an independent economic operator.

Happens to me pretty regularly, when traveling with my (male) boss. Not a big deal when out and about, at restaurants, etc. Incredibly frustrating when at a work conference, however.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Astatine on October 21, 2017, 04:58:54 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
It's happened to me too.  The fact that it can't be chalked up as a one-off for the purposes of this thread is testament to chronic sexism that sees a woman and sees a spousal appendage rather than an independent economic operator.

Happens to me pretty regularly, when traveling with my (male) boss. Not a big deal when out and about, at restaurants, etc. Incredibly frustrating when at a work conference, however.

Oooh, I remember being in that situation. However, I was the only one from my organisation at this conference so I wasn't even with a male colleague who could be mistaken for my husband. I would try to network (I'm socially awkward and a bit shy but still) before the conference started and none of the guys would talk to me about work stuff because they all assumed I was there as the wife of an attendee. (it was a male-dominated area of work) But once I gave my presentation, the penny would drop and everyone would then be happy to talk to me. Rather frustrating.

So, I guess that could be a thing I've done that nobody else has done - gone to a conference as an invited speaker and nobody wanting to talk to me beforehand because they assumed I was there as a spouse of an attendee. (I'm hoping nobody else has had that happen to them - it's really not great)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 21, 2017, 08:31:19 AM
So, I guess that could be a thing I've done that nobody else has done - gone to a conference as an invited speaker and nobody wanting to talk to me beforehand because they assumed I was there as a spouse of an attendee. (I'm hoping nobody else has had that happen to them - it's really not great)

I wouldn't chalk that one up to gender bias.  I routinely give invited talks to large rooms, and before the talk I'm just another face in the crowd and after the talk I'm everyone's personal best friend.  If you speak well and authentically, you forge the illusion of a personal connection that makes it much easier for people to approach you.  They're not discriminating against you before you talk, people are just shy and uncomfortable about initiating conversations with total strangers without first having some common ground on which to build a conversation.

I've found this true in a wide variety of professional settings.  The most notable exception is rooms full of elected officials and their staffs.  Those people are professionally gregarious.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Zaga on October 21, 2017, 09:56:33 AM
Licked my elbows!
I can do this!  My shoulders are unreasonably flexible.

Mine is I met my husband on the side of a battlefield in the 12th century.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 21, 2017, 10:46:21 AM
Licked my elbows!
I can do this!  My shoulders are unreasonably flexible.

What do your shoulders have to do with licking his elbows?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Free Spirit on October 21, 2017, 11:05:43 AM
Licked my elbows!
I can do this!  My shoulders are unreasonably flexible.

Mine is I met my husband on the side of a battlefield in the 12th century.

Do I spy a LARPer?

(I can also lick my own elbows but I'd need to get to know Financial Velociraptor a bit better before licking their's) ;)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Zaga on October 21, 2017, 07:36:48 PM
My shoulders bend in such a way as to get my elbow close to my mouth.  I don't have a long tongue, just flexible joints.

We've been known to don a costume or 2 lol!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: rdaneel0 on October 21, 2017, 08:47:29 PM
Danced at NBA halftime shows, and met Vince Carter. Our exchange backstage (I know that's not what you call it in sports, but what do you call it?) was:

V.C.: Hello there!
Me: Hi.
V.C. : You're really short!
Me: Well, you're really tall!
V.C. : True, true. Have a good show.
Me: Thanks! What's your name? My boyfriend will want to know!
V.C.: Uh, Vince Carter, just tell him that and he'll shit himself.
Me: Great, thank you!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GreenSheep on October 22, 2017, 10:02:43 AM
V.C.: Uh, Vince Carter, just tell him that and he'll shit himself.

Ahh, modesty at its best...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BlueHouse on October 22, 2017, 05:50:42 PM
Testified in Federal Court (and at Grand Jury before that) in a Federal Racketeering case.

What makes this unique:
I was a witness for one side during the Grand Jury and for the other side at the trial. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: C-note on October 22, 2017, 06:18:38 PM
Met my spouse on the phone and we phone dated for 8 months before meeting face-to-face.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Gerard on October 22, 2017, 07:00:28 PM
Played on the same stage as the Beatles!

Of course, they played on it in 1961 and I played on it in 1989...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: FIRE Artist on October 22, 2017, 07:28:34 PM
Saw the Ramones play two nights in a row at the London Astoria in 1995.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: surfhb on October 22, 2017, 07:56:55 PM
Saw the Ramones play two nights in a row at the London Astoria in 1995.

Hey.  These are getting a little watered down.   ;).   Isn't the thread title stuff NO ONE else has done?

I Saw the Ramones play at the now defunct Palamino Club in LA in 1985.   

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dicey on October 22, 2017, 08:05:44 PM
I love this thread, but

it makes me feel kinda ordinary.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BlueHouse on October 22, 2017, 08:14:57 PM
Saw the Ramones play two nights in a row at the London Astoria in 1995.

Hey.  These are getting a little watered down.   ;).   Isn't the thread title stuff NO ONE else has done?

I Saw the Ramones play at the now defunct Palamino Club in LA in 1985.

I saw the Ramones hanging out at a dive bar around the corner from Rockefeller Center in 1984 or 1985.  Joey Ramone was making out with a girl at the bar, leaned over, vomited, and then started kissing her again.  Gross!  Not even another swig of his drink or a trip to the bathroom.  yuk!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rufus.T.Firefly on October 22, 2017, 09:10:58 PM
Flipped a go-kart 540 degrees so that it came to a rest upside down. Unharmed, I unbuckled the harness and climbed out. It was at a track and I didn't get to drive anymore after that. Can't say I blame them.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: secondcor521 on October 22, 2017, 10:14:54 PM
Taught Jane Goodall about rodeos.

(Yes, the Jane Goodall.)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: cerat0n1a on October 23, 2017, 08:02:57 AM
Played on the same stage as the Beatles!

Of course, they played on it in 1961 and I played on it in 1989...

Done that (except it wasn't in 1989.)

My grandfather ran the civic hall in a small town near Liverpool in the later 1950s and early 1960s and booked the Beatles and all the other local groups (and also Paul Simon amongst others.) He met them, sorted out their fees etc. but never stayed for the actual performances because he didn't like "that kind of thing." We used that same stage for school bands & choirs, christmas nativity plays etc etc.

I guess I could say that I designed a small part of a silicon chip that most adults on the planet own today or have owned in the past.

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on October 23, 2017, 09:07:48 AM
I've built the innards of satellites which are going around the globe.

innards -> technical term ;-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ketchup on October 23, 2017, 11:14:59 AM
I met my now-girlfriend on a anonymous-and-randomly-assigned one-on-one chat website (not a dating site) just over eight years ago.  At the time she lived about 2000 miles away.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: surfhb on October 23, 2017, 05:56:45 PM
Saw the Ramones play two nights in a row at the London Astoria in 1995.

Hey.  These are getting a little watered down.   ;).   Isn't the thread title stuff NO ONE else has done?

I Saw the Ramones play at the now defunct Palamino Club in LA in 1985.

I saw the Ramones hanging out at a dive bar around the corner from Rockefeller Center in 1984 or 1985.  Joey Ramone was making out with a girl at the bar, leaned over, vomited, and then started kissing her again.  Gross!  Not even another swig of his drink or a trip to the bathroom.  yuk!

HaHa

That's funny....and sadly, very believable  ;)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on October 24, 2017, 06:14:44 AM
Come on guys, do try and pick something you genuinely think no one else here has done. I'm sure plenty of people have hiked whatever trail. I notice no one has "me too"d mine yet - I didn't just pick "one (or more!) cool thing I have done that I wanted to show off about", I tried to honestly pick something I thought no one else on here would ever have done.

Told a shadow cabinet minister he was stupid* on live primetime national television. Was congratulated by said MP afterwards and told I should consider standing for parliament.

*this may not have been the exact word, but it was of the order of stupid or pathetic.

My bad, he was actually a cabinet minister at the time.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Eowyn_MI on October 24, 2017, 10:03:46 AM
Hmm, something that no one else here has done...

Does anyone else work in a ballistics lab?

I have used a high speed video camera to measure the velocity of a 20mm fragment simulating projectile after it penetrated the transparent armor ("bulletproof" glass) that was being tested. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on October 24, 2017, 12:38:20 PM
Come on guys, do try and pick something you genuinely think no one else here has done. I'm sure plenty of people have hiked whatever trail. I notice no one has "me too"d mine yet - I didn't just pick "one (or more!) cool thing I have done that I wanted to show off about", I tried to honestly pick something I thought no one else on here would ever have done.

Told a shadow cabinet minister he was stupid* on live primetime national television. Was congratulated by said MP afterwards and told I should consider standing for parliament.

*this may not have been the exact word, but it was of the order of stupid or pathetic.

My bad, he was actually a cabinet minister at the time.
I would have very much liked to have done this multiple times but was sadly restrained by professional courtesy and my terms of employment.  I will treasure your forthrightness.

I did once try, and fail, to explain to the Russian Minister of the Environment what "the rule of law" meant.  We just had no common points of reference.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JetBlast on October 24, 2017, 03:32:40 PM
Anyone else here been to a 60s British rock tribute band concert at a kibbutz?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: 2Birds1Stone on October 24, 2017, 04:09:24 PM
I met Ron Jeremy once in Vegas.

I met him once too, he's an alumni of my HS.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: jc4 on October 25, 2017, 11:37:01 AM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ptobest on October 25, 2017, 12:08:40 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I am really curious about the circumstances that led to all three of these things happening.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Mississippi Mudstache on October 25, 2017, 12:17:15 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I am really curious about the circumstances that led to all three of these things happening.

I would put the odds at 95% that he's a boxer, wrestler, or some other sort of fighter trying to make weight.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: AlanStache on October 25, 2017, 01:07:45 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I once dropped 125# in 20 minutes; should have left her long before that evening  :-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheGrimSqueaker on October 25, 2017, 01:09:30 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I am really curious about the circumstances that led to all three of these things happening.

I would put the odds at 95% that he's a boxer, wrestler, or some other sort of fighter trying to make weight.

Classic weight cutting scenario, although if you have to compete under those circumstances the field narrows to a few non-Olympic martial arts. Wrestling, boxing, and MMA have rule sets that allow the athlete to cut weight hard and then have a day to recover because the weigh-ins are the day before the fight.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Tom Bri on October 25, 2017, 11:07:14 PM
I married the girl I met in a Bangkok hotel. Still married 21 years later.

(She wasn't a Thai hooker.)

(This one is kind of cheating. Everyone who is married meets their spouse somewhere. But I do think the location is slightly unusual.)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Laura33 on October 26, 2017, 05:58:47 AM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I lost @20 lbs in 1 day. 

Of course, it's probably cheating, since I came home with another human afterwards.  :-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 26, 2017, 07:54:43 AM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I am really curious about the circumstances that led to all three of these things happening.

I would put the odds at 95% that he's a boxer, wrestler, or some other sort of fighter trying to make weight.

I've cut similar weights for tournaments (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai) but was never given a whole day to gain it back (weigh ins were on the same day as the fight).  Also, I'm closer to 200 lbs.  Dropping 130 - 115 is much more difficult (and harder on the body) than dropping 200 - 185.

I lost 30 lbs in a week when I had blood poisoning . . . but that was kinda a near death experience, and it took me three months to put it back on.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 26, 2017, 08:36:06 AM
I lost 30 lbs in a week when I had blood poisoning . . . but that was kinda a near death experience, and it took me three months to put it back on.

Yea, my fastest cut was when I had amoebic dysentery on Kilimanjaro.  Totally doesn't count. 

Unless "having amoebic dysentery on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" is something that no one else here has done.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dollar Slice on October 26, 2017, 10:27:09 AM
Unless "having amoebic dysentery on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" is something that no one else here has done.

My aunt did something very similar, but she was too sick to make it to the top of Kilimanjaro and had to be rescued. But she's not on the forum. :-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on October 26, 2017, 01:29:00 PM
Unless "having amoebic dysentery on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" is something that no one else here has done.

My aunt did something very similar, but she was too sick to make it to the top of Kilimanjaro and had to be rescued. But she's not on the forum. :-)

Screw that.  You don't fly to Africa and ride overcrowded buses full of chickens to quit when you're so close.  I dropped trou and sprayed liquid evil all over that mountain, popped a couple of cipros, and suffered all the way to the top.  I think it adds a certain sort of poignancy to my summit photos, knowing I'm wearing unnaturally brown pants in all of them.

Wait, TMI?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on October 26, 2017, 01:55:42 PM
Unless "having amoebic dysentery on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" is something that no one else here has done.

My aunt did something very similar, but she was too sick to make it to the top of Kilimanjaro and had to be rescued. But she's not on the forum. :-)

Screw that.  You don't fly to Africa and ride overcrowded buses full of chickens to quit when you're so close.  I dropped trou and sprayed liquid evil all over that mountain, popped a couple of cipros, and suffered all the way to the top.  I think it adds a certain sort of poignancy to my summit photos, knowing I'm wearing unnaturally brown pants in all of them.

Wait, TMI?

If not poignancy, then certainly pungency.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dollar Slice on October 26, 2017, 02:11:36 PM
Unless "having amoebic dysentery on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" is something that no one else here has done.

My aunt did something very similar, but she was too sick to make it to the top of Kilimanjaro and had to be rescued. But she's not on the forum. :-)

Screw that.  You don't fly to Africa and ride overcrowded buses full of chickens to quit when you're so close.

She ended up in the hospital, it wasn't really a choice. She didn't really get all the way healthy for months.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: brooklynguy on October 26, 2017, 02:43:05 PM
Wait, TMI?

No, your firsthand accounts of your world travels are always delightful.  But it might be worth noting for those not keeping track that this isn't the first time they have featured the theme of personal defecation across the farthest reaches of the globe.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on October 26, 2017, 02:58:21 PM
I worked at a place where on of my primary duties was to daily move millions of moths into a small room, heat the room up until they died, and then shovel their corpses into an incinerator.

karma's going to get you
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on October 26, 2017, 03:30:09 PM
Mostly posting to follow but maybe this one will work?

Failed the vision test at the DMV.

I'm nearly blind in one eye (untreated lazy eye so now it's permanent), but never had a problem in another state passing the vision test. For some reason this state requires me to take a form to the eye doctor despite my better eye being fine when wearing contacts.

I would have failed the (stereo part) vision test in DMV, if I didn't cheat. I had lazy eye too. The 3d movie effect never worked on me, until I saw Avatar. That was great! 

I don't think my life is that boring but I don't have these kind of stories! I kind of avoid potentially life-threatening activities and only get into them accidently.

Since my life is boring I can say that my older brother has had the following things happen to him: drove a motorbike full speed into a set of baseball bleachers at night (only a broken nose) fell off the roof of a 2 story apartment building (broken leg) leaned against a railing of a 2 story balcony which broke causing him to fall 2 stories (no broken bones, just very bruised) been in more than one spectacular car accident where other people involved where seriously injured/broken necks where he and walked away, broke out of an outward bound type program which involved hiking miles of unnavigatable terrain, crossing the Misssippi and state lines in the process, and other unsafe and illegal activities not going to detail. No, he's not a stuntman, just foolhardy with a drinking problem.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Poundwise on October 27, 2017, 11:11:29 AM
leaned against a railing of a 2 story balcony which broke causing him to fall 2 stories (no broken bones, just very bruised)

Somehow that seems unfair, despite having done many riskier things where he probably escaped deserved injury.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BlueHouse on October 29, 2017, 06:12:47 PM
leaned against a railing of a 2 story balcony which broke causing him to fall 2 stories (no broken bones, just very bruised)

Somehow that seems unfair, despite having done many riskier things where he probably escaped deserved injury.
I had someone fall off a balcony in their hotel room onto our patio while on spring break in Ft. Lauderdale in the mid-80s.  We held his hand until the ambulance arrived.  He fell onto a large decorative boulder on his back.  Couldn't move anything probably due to shock to spinal cord.  We heard he survived but we never knew if there was permanent paralysis.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: cerat0n1a on October 30, 2017, 06:41:12 AM
leaned against a railing of a 2 story balcony which broke causing him to fall 2 stories (no broken bones, just very bruised)

Somehow that seems unfair, despite having done many riskier things where he probably escaped deserved injury.
I had someone fall off a balcony in their hotel room onto our patio while on spring break in Ft. Lauderdale in the mid-80s.  We held his hand until the ambulance arrived.  He fell onto a large decorative boulder on his back.  Couldn't move anything probably due to shock to spinal cord.  We heard he survived but we never knew if there was permanent paralysis.

I was in hospital for a few days after getting struck by a car. The man on one side of me had fallen 120ft off a tower block he was working on, broken his neck, spine, arms & legs and had been in there for six months but was on the mend. He was full of life, real life and soul of the party - trying to chat up the nurses, listing all the things he was going to do when he got out. On the other side was a man who had jumped off a bridge in a failed suicide bid and broken both his legs and smashed up his face,. He was a bit quieter, as you might expect.

All irrelevant to the topic in hand, but it occurs to me that I'm probably the only one who has spent two years without the use of one leg as a child, due a rare bone problem.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: jc4 on October 31, 2017, 01:17:47 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I am really curious about the circumstances that led to all three of these things happening.

I would put the odds at 95% that he's a boxer, wrestler, or some other sort of fighter trying to make weight.

I've cut similar weights for tournaments (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai) but was never given a whole day to gain it back (weigh ins were on the same day as the fight).  Also, I'm closer to 200 lbs.  Dropping 130 - 115 is much more difficult (and harder on the body) than dropping 200 - 185.

I lost 30 lbs in a week when I had blood poisoning . . . but that was kinda a near death experience, and it took me three months to put it back on.

You got it. Cutting weight for wrestling. And matches were same day as weigh ins. Drinking a half-gallon of water and I'd feel good to go in about an hour after weigh-in.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Primm on November 01, 2017, 03:03:23 AM
I can't believe I forgot about this...

My boyfriend (who is 6' tall) and I slept in the trunk of my car which is a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, a small 2-door sports hatchback. In a parking lot.

I know many of you have slept in cars, but I'd be impressed if you did it with two people in a 2-door sports hatchback (and not in the front seats, doesn't count!)

Did it. In a 1990s Acura Integra with my 6'3" then-boyfriend on the side of the road between Phoenix and Vegas, after we found out his sister-in-law, whom we were going to visit, didn't want us to take my dog. Oh yeah, there was a Chihuahua sleeping in the car with us, too. A not-quite-potty-trained Chihuahua puppy who peed in the car by our feet. And somehow this all seems like a *good* memory now!

Did it. In a 1986 Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo with my then-fiance, now ex-husband. We had a communication breakdown around who was the designated driver at a BBQ with friends at the lake, so had to stay overnight.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Mrbeardedbigbucks on November 01, 2017, 05:15:20 AM
I went foraging for truffles in Croatia and I dug up the 2nd largest truffle of the season.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: AlanStache on November 01, 2017, 07:03:27 AM
I went foraging for truffles in Croatia and I dug up the 2nd largest truffle of the season.

Do you have to bring your own pig or can you rent by the hour?  (I am in fact NOT banned from any pig rental agency ;-)  )
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: A Definite Beta Guy on November 01, 2017, 07:52:03 AM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I am really curious about the circumstances that led to all three of these things happening.

I would put the odds at 95% that he's a boxer, wrestler, or some other sort of fighter trying to make weight.

I've cut similar weights for tournaments (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai) but was never given a whole day to gain it back (weigh ins were on the same day as the fight).  Also, I'm closer to 200 lbs.  Dropping 130 - 115 is much more difficult (and harder on the body) than dropping 200 - 185.

I lost 30 lbs in a week when I had blood poisoning . . . but that was kinda a near death experience, and it took me three months to put it back on.

You got it. Cutting weight for wrestling. And matches were same day as weigh ins. Drinking a half-gallon of water and I'd feel good to go in about an hour after weigh-in.

Been there, done that. Had to quit wrestling because I hated the weight management, especially since it was coupled with real heavy exercise. On weigh-in days, EVERYTHING looked like food.

I also didn't know anything about proper diet at the ripe old age of 15, so I am sure that was a contributing factor.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Poundwise on November 01, 2017, 08:11:14 AM
  (I am in fact NOT banned from any pig rental agency ;-)  )

The fact that you haven't been caught yet doesn't mean you're not guilty.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Warlord1986 on November 01, 2017, 08:12:15 AM
When I was thirteen my parents took me to visit family in NYC. All of us went to a museum (a natural history museum? I can't remember) and my older brother was supposed to look out for me. He abandoned me and I hung out in the museum until closing time. Noticing that everyone was gone and probably back at the apartment. It was dark in a strange city and I was at that age when I dressed like a tart at any given opportunity. I walked some miles back and entered the apartment like a boss.

When I was eleven years old I was accosted by a high school kid on a bike. He told me he had a gun and I better give him some money. I told him to fuck off.

I was a hardcore li'l mofo back in the day.

I also passed out in the Amazon rainforest. Alcohol was not involved.

Edit: I also realized a childhood dream of mine and met Bruce Coville at a Writers' Conference. The conference sucked, but he was everything my inner nine-year-old knew he would be. <3
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: boy_bye on November 02, 2017, 04:13:11 PM
One more thing just happened which I think is pretty unique?

An Australian witch accused me of plagiarism (wrongly) and a bunch of her witch friends threatened to hex me (https://www.belesscrazy.com/blog/2017/11/2/my-facebook-post-went-viral-and-all-i-got-were-these-lousy-australian-witches-threatening-to-hex-me). ROTFL -- I seriously couldn't have made this shit up!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dollar Slice on November 02, 2017, 05:17:41 PM
One more thing just happened which I think is pretty unique?

An Australian witch accused me of plagiarism (wrongly) and a bunch of her witch friends threatened to hex me (https://www.belesscrazy.com/blog/2017/11/2/my-facebook-post-went-viral-and-all-i-got-were-these-lousy-australian-witches-threatening-to-hex-me). ROTFL -- I seriously couldn't have made this shit up!

Wow! I hope you survive the hexes :-)  I saw that post last night in my FB feed... didn't know it was an MMMer!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: 401Killer on November 03, 2017, 11:37:00 AM
I've been in a CNN documentary and on TV domestically and internationally a ton of times.

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on November 03, 2017, 11:58:22 AM
leaned against a railing of a 2 story balcony which broke causing him to fall 2 stories (no broken bones, just very bruised)

Somehow that seems unfair, despite having done many riskier things where he probably escaped deserved injury.

I remember when my lil brother let me know about the accident (he was on the same balcony at the time, and saw the whole thing is slow motion), said something like "this time it wasn't his fault"
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: OurTown on November 03, 2017, 12:42:59 PM
I arranged "Pictures at an Exhibition" and "Peter and the Wolf" for pipe organ and performed them.  I also set the text of the biblical Book of Revelation to music as an oratorio.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: EMMoneY on November 03, 2017, 05:49:49 PM
I was once the only woman in a week long 42-person meeting (we were all from tier-1 automotive parts mfgs) to discuss tactics to help get US vendors approved to make components for a specific Japanese auto manufacturer and 'teach' the corporation way of doing business.  Of the other 41 there were two other anglos: a bald man and an American of Italian descent with black hair.  The remaining 39 were Japanese men working in the US, 'stationed' at various facilities owned in part or in whole by the mother corp.  I'm blonde, with green eyes.  The Japanese, at least back then, worked all day long and well into the night.  We met for breakfast, had official meetings, had lunch together, more meetings, had dinner together, more meetings, then had 'entertainment' provided at whatever venue the mother company had chosen for the late evening.  I've never since been hit on that many times in so short a number of days.  Not many hold their booze well but they seem intent on drinking.  Fortunately a nice guy from the facility closest to where I worked stuck close stayed sober and told other guys to take a hike.  Apologized and explained that green-eyed blondes are considered exotic in Japan.  I hope he's well but I doubt it that was decades ago and he smoked like a chimney.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Jane Dough on November 05, 2017, 06:57:18 PM
-Passed the May 1974 CPA exam with the minimum passing score of 75 on all four parts.
-Hopelessly sank into hip deep snow when my son and I were walking a desolate section of the      Athabaska glacier in Alberta,Ca .Due to my son's efforts I lived to write this today.
-Proud recipient of a tshirt for correctly reciting the Whopper jingle at a Burger King in Urbana,Illinois
-I used to bake 200 dozen Christmas cookies for holiday serving and sharing
-Worked as pollworker during the recent Presidential election and assisted a voter born with no arms or shoulders. She completed the 3 page ballot form ( neatly filling in ovals)with her feet,my assistance consisted of placing her  handbag back on her after reviewing her picture ID. We are without excuse if we fail to vote.
-Watched from my kitchen window as a mouse ran across our screened pool patio into the waiting mouth of a rat snake which was about 5 feet long
-Drove with son from Miami to Seattle for his internship,putting  5,000 miles on the car over 11 days due to much sightseeing



Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Abe on November 05, 2017, 09:25:40 PM
Various trauma operations that are better left un-described.

More rewarding: removed a 17 inch tumor out of a patient's back who was having intractable pain from it. Now he doesn't! Woo!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cache_Stash on November 06, 2017, 01:15:02 PM
Drove solo from LA to Upstate NY in 54 hours.  48 Hours of driving, 6 hours sleeping on side of road.  I picked up a hitchhiker just outside of Denver and I asked him where he was going.  He told me Des Moines, Iowa.  I dropped him on his doorstep 14 hours after picking him up.  (Note: not sure of the 14 hours.  This was around 1991.  26 Years clouds the mind.  Amirite?)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: DoubleDown on November 07, 2017, 04:16:33 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I don't mean to target anyone in particular or to be a jerk, but I find these kinds of extreme weigh-in measures to be ridiculous, unnecessary, and most definitely dangerous. I feel like if one can't compete in their own, proper weight class without going to these kinds of ill-advised measures, they're doing something wrong. We're not talking about the difference between fighting a 135-lb scrappy person and a 300-lb sumo wrestler; the weight classes are already granular enough that a few pounds shouldn't make a difference. Skill is 99% of the equation; the difference between fighting a 150-lb and 160-lb person is just not that great. Or, if you're normally a 170-lb fighter trying to beat up on 145-lb fighters in order to "win", what's the point?

On the danger side, it is easy to imagine someone becoming perilously dehydrated and going into shock doing heavy exercise with no food or water in three days. With no one around to administer aid, the results could be fatal.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: RidetheRain on November 07, 2017, 05:06:00 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I don't mean to target anyone in particular or to be a jerk, but I find these kinds of extreme weigh-in measures to be ridiculous, unnecessary, and most definitely dangerous. I feel like if one can't compete in their own, proper weight class without going to these kinds of ill-advised measures, they're doing something wrong. We're not talking about the difference between fighting a 135-lb scrappy person and a 300-lb sumo wrestler; the weight classes are already granular enough that a few pounds shouldn't make a difference. Skill is 99% of the equation; the difference between fighting a 150-lb and 160-lb person is just not that great. Or, if you're normally a 170-lb fighter trying to beat up on 145-lb fighters in order to "win", what's the point?

On the danger side, it is easy to imagine someone becoming perilously dehydrated and going into shock doing heavy exercise with no food or water in three days. With no one around to administer aid, the results could be fatal.

Agreed. Please, please dpc don't ever do that again. The faceless people on the internet are worried about you.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GreenSheep on November 07, 2017, 05:13:00 PM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I don't mean to target anyone in particular or to be a jerk, but I find these kinds of extreme weigh-in measures to be ridiculous, unnecessary, and most definitely dangerous. I feel like if one can't compete in their own, proper weight class without going to these kinds of ill-advised measures, they're doing something wrong. We're not talking about the difference between fighting a 135-lb scrappy person and a 300-lb sumo wrestler; the weight classes are already granular enough that a few pounds shouldn't make a difference. Skill is 99% of the equation; the difference between fighting a 150-lb and 160-lb person is just not that great. Or, if you're normally a 170-lb fighter trying to beat up on 145-lb fighters in order to "win", what's the point?

On the danger side, it is easy to imagine someone becoming perilously dehydrated and going into shock doing heavy exercise with no food or water in three days. With no one around to administer aid, the results could be fatal.

I'm glad you brought this up because I always wondered about it, but I have zero knowledge or experience to back up my "Wow, that seems nuts" reaction. I remember watching the boys in my high school classes spit into empty soda cans all day and thinking it was crazy.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: rye_machine on November 07, 2017, 06:41:07 PM
I watched Chuck Norris's personal trainer, who is now a monk, give a sermon entirely in Latin, complete with lots of animated yelling, fire and sword waving. Also, he believes wholeheartedly he is the keeper of the holy grail.  It was a small, bizarre gathering.. I only feared for my life like 3 times. He made me take communion- I'm not even catholic.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on November 08, 2017, 08:00:56 AM
I've got a couple that are usually unique.
Dropped 17 lbs in 3 days (131>114).
Gained 16 lbs in 1 day and 31 lbs in 2 weeks (114>130>145).

Can I throw going 3.5 days with zero food, zero water, and heavy exercise in there?

I don't mean to target anyone in particular or to be a jerk, but I find these kinds of extreme weigh-in measures to be ridiculous, unnecessary, and most definitely dangerous. I feel like if one can't compete in their own, proper weight class without going to these kinds of ill-advised measures, they're doing something wrong. We're not talking about the difference between fighting a 135-lb scrappy person and a 300-lb sumo wrestler; the weight classes are already granular enough that a few pounds shouldn't make a difference. Skill is 99% of the equation; the difference between fighting a 150-lb and 160-lb person is just not that great. Or, if you're normally a 170-lb fighter trying to beat up on 145-lb fighters in order to "win", what's the point?

On the danger side, it is easy to imagine someone becoming perilously dehydrated and going into shock doing heavy exercise with no food or water in three days. With no one around to administer aid, the results could be fatal.

It is dangerous, and you typically feel like shit after a cut.

I'm a very big fan of contests with weigh-ins close to your match time for this reason.  When cutting weight, if the weigh in was in the early morning and the match was in the late afternoon I could gain back the weight no problem.  If the weigh in was immediately before the match, there just wasn't enough time to gain the weight back.  You end up fighting weaker.  Closer weigh in times are the reason I gave up on cutting and moved up a weight class when competing in BJJ.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Anon in Alaska on November 23, 2017, 04:45:35 AM
Drove 135 mph, in neutral, on a dirt road, north of the Arctic Circle.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Anon in Alaska on November 23, 2017, 04:57:57 AM
While at an airport as a child I was reading a book. A man said "It looks as if you like to read. Would you like me to give you a book?" I said yes.
He gave it to me and wandered off. His book, now my book, turned out to have a rather large hunting knife (no sheath) inside of it!

It was also written in a language I did not recognize, maybe Sanskrit. I thought about telling security, but this would have required talking to security while having a hunting knife, so I ended up throwing the book and the knife away.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: runbikerun on November 23, 2017, 05:05:35 AM
While at an airport as a child I was reading a book. A man said "It looks as if you like to read. Would you like me to give you a book?" I said yes.
He gave it to me and wandered off. His book, now my book, turned out to have a rather large hunting knife (no sheath) inside of it!

It was also written in a language I did not recognize, maybe Sanskrit. I thought about telling security, but this would have required talking to security while having a hunting knife, so I ended up throwing the book and the knife away.

This was probably the beginning of an epic adventure spread across five films and a prequel series, and you threw it away?!?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ACyclist on November 23, 2017, 07:16:10 AM
I've kayaked the 17 mile Napali coast leg in Kauai. 




Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on November 23, 2017, 07:39:06 AM
While at an airport as a child I was reading a book. A man said "It looks as if you like to read. Would you like me to give you a book?" I said yes.
He gave it to me and wandered off. His book, now my book, turned out to have a rather large hunting knife (no sheath) inside of it!

It was also written in a language I did not recognize, maybe Sanskrit. I thought about telling security, but this would have required talking to security while having a hunting knife, so I ended up throwing the book and the knife away.

This was probably the beginning of an epic adventure spread across five films and a prequel series, and you threw it away?!?

Thanks a lot potential Indiana Jones!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on November 23, 2017, 07:48:33 AM
While at an airport as a child I was reading a book. A man said "It looks as if you like to read. Would you like me to give you a book?" I said yes.
He gave it to me and wandered off. His book, now my book, turned out to have a rather large hunting knife (no sheath) inside of it!

It was also written in a language I did not recognize, maybe Sanskrit. I thought about telling security, but this would have required talking to security while having a hunting knife, so I ended up throwing the book and the knife away.

This was probably the beginning of an epic adventure spread across five films and a prequel series, and you threw it away?!?

Thanks a lot potential Indiana Jones!

That knife and book . . . belong . . . in a museum!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Anon in Alaska on November 26, 2017, 06:55:57 AM

That knife and book . . . belong . . . in a museum!

I assumed he was a hijacker who chickened out, and wanted someone to help him get rid of his knife.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: change_seeker on December 04, 2017, 07:00:07 PM
I was a test driver for a prototype skid-steer hybrid electric 6X6 vehicle built for the US Special Forces.  That in itself is fairly unique, but it gets more interesting.  We were proving out control theories at a National Guard facility on the East Coast.  One lane gravel road, one lane of grass on each side, and then a wall of trees.  At 45 mph the vehicle began to drift left, I applied steering correction, then full lock, then locked up the brakes.  These attempts to change course were in vain.  Fortunately I hit a 3 foot boulder at the edge of the trees, and the vehicle rolled 270 degrees back into the grass.  I say fortunately because it was an open cockpit, and I would probably not have lived to tell the tale had I ended up in the trees.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: surfhb on December 04, 2017, 10:24:21 PM
I witnessed an alleged Mossad Bombing of an alleged Palestinian money man while on the way to Gemco to buy an 8 track tape copy of AC/DC's Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.    Beat that suckas!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Apple_Tango on December 04, 2017, 11:25:47 PM
Mostly posting to follow....

But I've got one? Kayaking through mangrove trees in Thailand when I was a teenager, my paddle got stuck between two trees horizontally but my kayak kept going. My face smashed into it and broke my braces off. Usually people just break them by chewing gum or something, so it was a pretty unique story to tell my orthodontist.
Also monkeys jumped on us and went through our backpacks, which was cool but a little scary at the time.



Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: talltexan on December 19, 2017, 08:44:44 AM
I've kayaked the 17 mile Napali coast leg in Kauai.

I love that coastline, got to take a raft ride.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Fitzy1 on December 22, 2017, 10:11:59 AM
Had a live boa constrictor wrapped around my body.

Roughly 10-15 feet long as I recall, though it's been over 20 years now.

I was in the boy scouts, and I forget the reason why, but we had a speaker come to the local middle school for a presentation. He had asked for volunteers. My father, thinking it was a joke, urged me to participate. Every time I exhaled, the snake tightened just a little. I'm guessing the snake had been fed prior to the exhibition, since I'm still alive.

Others, but likely I'm not the only one on the forum:

I taught myself how to lucid dream after watching Vanilla Sky and reading up on the subject. I've had 3-4 dreams where I was able to fly, which was really, really awesome to experience. I stopped practicing lucid dreaming before college, since it cut into my sleep quality.

Saw the ghost of my great-grandmother the night she died, but before anyone discovered she had passed. I don't blame you if you don't believe this though; since I don't believe most other folks ghost stories. I certainly believe roughly 0% of anything on TV.

I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok (spelling?), recently made famous by the TV show "Vikings" as the main character Ragnar's brother. This was really cool to learn since I was a fan of the series for a couple of years before I traced my lineage. Hardly unique though, I'm guessing there are presently thousands of people who could make this claim.











Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Firehazard on December 22, 2017, 06:50:36 PM
Jumped out of a perfectly good canoe, and swam for about 4 miles through a murky, alligator infested river in Florida.  Young, drunk and stupid.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: cerat0n1a on December 23, 2017, 01:04:52 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok (spelling?), recently made famous by the TV show "Vikings" as the main character Ragnar's brother. This was really cool to learn since I was a fan of the series for a couple of years before I traced my lineage. Hardly unique though, I'm guessing there are presently thousands of people who could make this claim.

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Roger D on December 23, 2017, 02:28:24 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok...

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Good point. I can trace my ancestry back to William The Conqueror (1066), due to a link to a minor noble a few hundred years ago. Once you have a link to the nobility, it's straightforward to trace ancestry back further (even after taking into account suspected illegitimate children).

But millions of Brits must also descend from William The Conqueror, even if they don't know it. After all, it's 32 generations ago, and 2 to the power 32 is a very big number (even when you reduce it to allow for intermarriage).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: marty998 on December 23, 2017, 04:50:06 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok...

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Good point. I can trace my ancestry back to William The Conqueror (1066), due to a link to a minor noble a few hundred years ago. Once you have a link to the nobility, it's straightforward to trace ancestry back further (even after taking into account suspected illegitimate children).

But millions of Brits must also descend from William The Conqueror, even if they don't know it. After all, it's 32 generations ago, and 2 to the power 32 is a very big number (even when you reduce it to allow for intermarriage).

Practically everyone in Asia is descended from Ghengis Khan right?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Teachstache on December 23, 2017, 05:02:17 AM
Wrote for a film score review magazine while in college. Also worked for a poetry press in college & due to that, got to befriend Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco). Attended Easter Vigil mass at the Vatican (lapsed Catholic at the time, now an agnostic). Some of the best experiences of my life.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: cerat0n1a on December 23, 2017, 06:47:04 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok...

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Good point. I can trace my ancestry back to William The Conqueror (1066), due to a link to a minor noble a few hundred years ago. Once you have a link to the nobility, it's straightforward to trace ancestry back further (even after taking into account suspected illegitimate children).

But millions of Brits must also descend from William The Conqueror, even if they don't know it. After all, it's 32 generations ago, and 2 to the power 32 is a very big number (even when you reduce it to allow for intermarriage).

It's generally reckoned that everyone in England who's not a recent immigrant or descended from recent immigrants would have King John (of Robin Hood fame) as an ancestor from the 12th century - by similar maths to what you posted. When you get as far back as the Norman conquest, you've added another 4 generations.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: gypsy79 on December 23, 2017, 07:00:05 AM
Climbed from the passenger seat to the roof of a moving car and laid face forward, holding on to the windows, while the driver took belly dropping hills and 60 mph country road straightaways.
I know no one else here has done that because no one else here is that stupid.

Michael? (If you are Michael, then I was the stupid, 16-year-old driver.)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rosy on December 23, 2017, 09:42:23 AM
Been mistaken as "oh and your wife" to more than one of my co-workers.

Did not get that, could you elaborate?

Simple been on business trips over the years and had hotel and or restaurant people mistake me as my co-workers spouse; this has happened with multiple co-workers.
It's happened to me too.  The fact that it can't be chalked up as a one-off for the purposes of this thread is testament to chronic sexism that sees a woman and sees a spousal appendage rather than an independent economic operator.

Am I missing something? It seems to me that if you're not wearing business attire and it's not lunchtime, it would be most reasonable for someone to guess that you're probably married if you're at a hotel or restaurant together. No one has ever assumed that my husband is my coworker; they always assume he's my husband. Of course if you're staying in different rooms at a hotel or requesting separate checks at a restaurant, then it would make more sense to assume you're probably not married and might, in fact, be coworkers on a business trip.

I'm a woman, and I understand that there are still areas of life where we are not treated equally to men, but I think this might be a case of looking for offensive action where none was meant. And in the long run, I think it makes people less likely to take our complaints about truly offensive situations seriously.

Really? You've never been the only woman in a business situation and of course you were taken for the wife? You've never had to work twice as hard or prove yourself to be smarter than your colleagues and then when the time came for a review and a raise you did not get the promotion? because -
 well - as was explained to me by my boss - "he" had a family to support and I was only a wife.

He said that straight to my face - perfectly nice guy and otherwise a great boss - "he" had a decision to make and he only had one promotion to give and yeah, well, he knew I was doing a better job, but still - I was not a family provider.
So I ask you, what would you have done?
Is this a situation that is perfectly acceptable in your book?

This was back in 1973 and I was smart enough to know that if I made waves it wouldn't get me anywhere - perhaps even make me unemployable. A woman raising a ruckus over a job and money - good god, what will they ask for next?:)

I did the next best thing, I talked to the lady in HR and told her I was looking for a new job asap. I did not want to give her the real reason, but she was older and experienced in such matters and in the end, I told her what really happened. She saw that sort of thing all the time, but also didn't make a fuss - it would have cost her her job and she was rather fond of it and nearing retirement.
However - I found myself the recipient of a mentorship and she found me a much better job with a significant raise.

But the thing is, it doesn't always end this well and job hopping back then was frowned upon - these are different times and things in the workplace have become easier for women. I am glad to see the sexual harassment wave - it is the next step and long overdue.
Certainly, the men are becoming uneasy over it or laugh and deny it away, but in a time when locker room boys abuse is openly talked about, I do think women have a chance of being heard in that arena as well.
It is always an ugly fight to speak up about taboo subjects, but if we want change, we have to be the change. (and no, Obama was not the one to originally come up with that slogan:)

We are just strangers on the internet and perhaps you are too young to appreciate the roadblocks the women of the 20th century have removed and fought for. Not to mention that the USA was one of the last countries to allow women the vote.
"Allow" - pffft!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to say that it saddens me to see a comment like this one from a woman - we should support one another - in any way we can.
Men close rank and the good ole boy network is alive and well - make no mistake about that.
The truth is that I have had women bosses that were even worse, because they tried to fit in so very hard - it is still a man's world, never forget that. It doesn't mean I can't go on and find ways to equalize my job, my pay, my world.
My decision was to pick a field that at the time was a man's prerogative - I was one of two women in a class of 32 to become a commercial underwriter. It was a good choice, but even then, a woman could only advance so far - those glass ceilings are real and will remain so in my opinion.

One last point, since you are on MMM I will assume that money and FIRE is important to you. The money lost over the years because of being paid less than a man can easily become a huge factor in retirement and certainly cost you years in reaching FIRE.
It may be an innocent assumption to be mistaken for a wife and as such no big thing, I agree with you there - but it shows where women stand in our society. Yes, I know the original comment was not about money - but the fact is - one thing leads to another.
So let's speak out and please do not be one more woman who accepts the status quo and seriously suggests not speaking out lest we are mistaken for that one woman in hundreds of thousands who speaks untrue.

Let's hope you never find yourself in a "truly offensive situation" whatever your definition of that might be. These things can get ugly and destroy your life. Even the "mild discomfort:)?" of loss of pay increases over several years or missing a promotion can result in having 25% or more reduction in income in retirement.
I never wished to be part of the statistic that shows women earned less so they have less to live on in retirement.

Anyway, I didn't mean to derail the thread, just to point out that one thing leads to another and because I have promised myself to never again let a statement such as this one stand unchallenged. Carry on:) ...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on December 23, 2017, 10:14:33 AM
Rosy,

Thank you for sharing your story.  I think your perspectives are important for people to hear, especially if they're facing similar circumstances.

But as straight white male who has devoted his entire professional life to supporting the changes you want to see, I feel I should also point out that the following statement was pretty disappointingly sexist and discriminatory, and undermines your entire message.

Men close rank and the good ole boy network is alive and well - make no mistake about that.

Whenever you lump all members of a group together and then make negative and discriminatory commentary about that group, you are NOT "being the change" you are contributing to the larger problem.  At least, that's true if "the problem" is people who perpetuate discriminatory stereotypes.  Maybe not a problem if you just want to tear down one gender at the expense of the other but that's not really social justice, is it?

If we want to see real change in society, we all need to work on it together.  Women cannot change the world alone.  Minorities cannot change the world alone.  We need everyone to get on board, including people in my demographic, and you only alienate them with comments like that one.  It's totally fair to talk about the injustices you have experienced, and that continue to plague big parts of civic life, but it's not helpful to lay the blame for those sins at the feet of people who are personally not responsible and who may otherwise be open to supporting change. 

By way of analogy, if you are a white American then your ancestors are responsible for genocide against Native Americans but it doesn't help struggling native communities if I go around shouting "racist!" at every white person I see.  For some of them it's a fair description, but for the rest you do more harm than good by establishing and then reinforcing divisive social positions.  This is how we end up with the people like Richard Spencer, who thrive on that us vs them mentality.  That's not the way to fix things.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CoffeeR on December 23, 2017, 10:35:30 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok...

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Good point. I can trace my ancestry back to William The Conqueror (1066), due to a link to a minor noble a few hundred years ago. Once you have a link to the nobility, it's straightforward to trace ancestry back further (even after taking into account suspected illegitimate children).

But millions of Brits must also descend from William The Conqueror, even if they don't know it. After all, it's 32 generations ago, and 2 to the power 32 is a very big number (even when you reduce it to allow for intermarriage).
The MCRA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) of all humankind is a subject of research, but may be as little as 3000 years ago. There is both statistical and genetic evidence for this.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on December 23, 2017, 10:47:34 AM
Rosy,

Thank you for sharing your story.  I think your perspectives are important for people to hear, especially if they're facing similar circumstances.

But as straight white male who has devoted his entire professional life to supporting the changes you want to see, I feel I should also point out that the following statement was pretty disappointingly sexist and discriminatory, and undermines your entire message.

Men close rank and the good ole boy network is alive and well - make no mistake about that.

Whenever you lump all members of a group together and then make negative and discriminatory commentary about that group, you are NOT "being the change" you are contributing to the larger problem.  At least, that's true if "the problem" is people who perpetuate discriminatory stereotypes.  Maybe not a problem if you just want to tear down one gender at the expense of the other but that's not really social justice, is it?

If we want to see real change in society, we all need to work on it together.  Women cannot change the world alone.  Minorities cannot change the world alone.  We need everyone to get on board, including people in my demographic, and you only alienate them with comments like that one.  It's totally fair to talk about the injustices you have experienced, and that continue to plague big parts of civic life, but it's not helpful to lay the blame for those sins at the feet of people who are personally not responsible and who may otherwise be open to supporting change. 

By way of analogy, if you are a white American then your ancestors are responsible for genocide against Native Americans but it doesn't help struggling native communities if I go around shouting "racist!" at every white person I see.  For some of them it's a fair description, but for the rest you do more harm than good by establishing and then reinforcing divisive social positions.  This is how we end up with the people like Richard Spencer, who thrive on that us vs them mentality.  That's not the way to fix things.
Thing is, sol, that ever since human beings first circumnavigated the earth (1522, yes I did have to look it up) the social, economic and political structures of the world have been set up by and for the benefit of able bodied, white, heterosexual men.  The legacy of those 500 years is deeply embedded, and the last 100 years of growing recognition of that fact has still only scratched the surface of entrenched privilege.

I see Rosy's statement about men closing ranks and the old boy network as a statement of that fundamental truth.   Are there men who are part of the change we want to see?  Absolutely.   A statement about the biased structures we all live under does not need to be, and should not be, taken to be a personal attack on our male allies.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Jenny Wren on December 23, 2017, 10:48:21 AM
I helped pull a man out of a burning plane that had just crashed in the field by my high school. We were on the short 7 minute break between classes. We were also the "bad kids", using the break to go outside and smoke.

Our school was near a small air field and this plane came in low and crashed. It was surreal. There was five or six of us and we just started running toward it -- no discussion or anything. The plane was on fire when we got there and we moved things out of the way until one of the guys was able to get the unconscious pilot out. Emergency service from the airfield showed up a few minutes later, but by then the whole thing was on fire and the pilot would likely have been toast. We later heard he survived.

When we walked into the school, the school cop started yelling at us about being late and detention -- until the real officer walked in behind us and explained the situation. Needless to say, we didn't get detention. Probably the only time smoking saved someone's life, too.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on December 23, 2017, 10:51:07 AM
The MCRA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) of all humankind is a subject of research, but may be as little as 3000 years ago. There is both statistical and genetic evidence for this.

On of my close relatives was on the cover of Time magazine for this research.  It's a much more complicated topic than most people realize, but the short version is that direct lineages from individuals are much harder to trace than originally hoped, even if you're doing straight maternal or paternal lines only.

In reality, we are all descended from (and contain genetic material from) millions of other people who's specific identities we don't know how to trace.  And just to complicate the whole thing, we each inherit different random portions from our two parents (and are all constantly mutating over time in tiny but sometimes significant ways), so that even people who have identical family relations to a known historic person can have vastly different genetic makeups.  All of the commercial dna sites are ignoring approximately 100% of your personal dna, and only testing for the tiniest little pieces of footnotes.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on December 23, 2017, 10:55:14 AM
I see Rosy's statement about men closing ranks and the old boy network as a statement of that fundamental truth.   Are there men who are part of the change we want to see?  Absolutely.   A statement about the biased structures we all live under does not need to be, and should not be, taken to be a personal attack on our male allies.

I did not see in her statement a description of historical injustice.  I saw a stinging indictment of an entire group of modern day people, painted with a broad brush, applied to current living humans some of whom are present and participating in this discussion, and labeling them with a negative stereotype.  Not helpful!

It's the difference between saying "African American slaves in colonial America were illiterate" and "black people are stupid".  One is a description of a historical injustice.  The other is just racist and inflammatory.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: runbikerun on December 23, 2017, 03:47:35 PM
It's the difference between saying "African American slaves in colonial America were illiterate" and "black people are stupid".  One is a description of a historical injustice.  The other is just racist and inflammatory.

No: it's not. It's the difference between saying "American society has been structurally organised in a way that privileges white people, and a lot of people are unwilling to acknowledge the benefits this brings them" and saying "white people are racist crackers". The point of comparison, when you're taking offence with something said about men as a group, is not the discriminated-against cohort.

There is a deep and fundamental difference between lumping together members of a discriminated-against grouping and lumping together members of a dominant class. Arguing that they're the same thing disregards the core point that's being made: it strips out centuries of social context and deeply entrenched prejudices and starts from the assumption that there's no difference between "men close rank" and "women are dumber than men". One is the problem: the other is an imperfect reaction to the problem.

But all of this may be of topic, so apologies for any derailing.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on December 23, 2017, 04:02:56 PM
There is a deep and fundamental difference between lumping together members of a discriminated-against grouping and lumping together members of a dominant class.

I guess I see less difference here than you do.  I don't think we make any progress by indiscriminately lumping together all members of a class and then passing negative judgments against the entire group.

If you think the problem is discrimination against minority groups, then you're right.  If you think the problem is discriminatory attitudes, then I'm right. 

Which of these is the problem you want society to solve?  Because I think you're dangerously close the "black people can't be racist" argument.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PoutineLover on December 23, 2017, 05:09:00 PM
I probably shouldn't wade into this, but here goes.
Sol, your argument is kinda like #not all men. Sure, not every single man, but enough that saying "men" conveys the point. Instead of taking offense and policing the language of the people you are supposedly allied to, do what you need to do without demanding recognition. I am glad that you personally are working towards eliminating sexism in whatever way you have decided to, but the fact is our society remains quite sexist and men still hold most of the power.
I'm white, and I don't take offense to the statement white people are racist, because I know that despite my awareness and support for anti racist causes, most white people are still racist. By saying "not me" I'm not doing anything to help and I'm just distracting from the actual issues. And black people can be prejudiced, sure, but they can't be racist to white people since they don't have systemic power over them and have historically been the subject of white oppression for basically all of our recent history.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on December 23, 2017, 05:23:48 PM

Sol, your argument is kinda like #not all men.

No, my argument is the opposite of of that.  I am not personally offended.  I'm not speaking up because I feel maligned.  My feelings don't matter here.

I'm speaking up because I think it's counterproductive to the cause to use stereotypical and derogatory language to alienate people.  We need men to jump on the bandwagon, so why would you actively start throwing them under the wheels?  We need to embrace change, every single one of us.  You don't advance that cause by demeaning people, that's just embracing the same behavior we're fighting against. 

Quote
black people can be prejudiced, sure, but they can't be racist to white people

This is so wrong I'm not even sure where to begin.

Let's try this: Do you also argue that men cannot be raped? 

Similarly, "racism" does not mean "white people oppressing black people" and the fact that anyone still thinks like that in 2017 just blows my mind.   Racism would not be "cured" if we instituted slavery of white people put black people in charge of everything for the next 800 years.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PoutineLover on December 23, 2017, 05:56:31 PM

Sol, your argument is kinda like #not all men.

No, my argument is the opposite of of that.  I am not personally offended.  I'm not speaking up because I feel maligned.  My feelings don't matter here.

I'm speaking up because I think it's counterproductive to the cause to use stereotypical and derogatory language to alienate people.  We need men to jump on the bandwagon, so why would you actively start throwing them under the wheels?  We need to embrace change, every single one of us.  You don't advance that cause by demeaning people, that's just embracing the same behavior we're fighting against. 

Quote
black people can be prejudiced, sure, but they can't be racist to white people

This is so wrong I'm not even sure where to begin.

Let's try this: Do you also argue that men cannot be raped? 

Similarly, "racism" does not mean "white people oppressing black people" and the fact that anyone still thinks like that in 2017 just blows my mind.   Racism would not be "cured" if we instituted slavery of white people put black people in charge of everything for the next 800 years.
The original quote you had issue with was
Quote from: Rosy on Today at 09:42:23 AM
Men close rank and the good ole boy network is alive and well - make no mistake about that.
That's not derogatory to men, it's a statement of fact. I have personally experienced this. She didn't say "men are trash" or something inflammatory like that, in that case I'd get your point of view. Would you be happier if she added "most" in front of that sentence?
And no, the solution to racism is not eye for an eye, but racism by definition involves the systemic and legal oppression of another race, not just calling someone a cracker. You can't be racist against the dominant race, when our current society still greatly privileges said race. Prejudice is different, since it's individually treating someone differently because of their race. We need to dismantle the systems that prop up the racism, not reverse it.
And of course men can be raped.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on December 23, 2017, 07:25:42 PM
The original quote you had issue with was
Quote from: Rosy on Today at 09:42:23 AM
Men close rank and the good ole boy network is alive and well - make no mistake about that.
That's not derogatory to men, it's a statement of fact.

It's a generalization, applied to all members of a group, to demean them.  And I fear it alienates some of the very people we need to be welcoming into the fold.

Speaking about your personal experiences is great.  Speaking about historical problems is great.  Describing current cultural problems is great.  Perpetuating negative stereotypes is less great.  You don't defend racist (or sexist) comments by saying "it's a fact" unless you are racist (or sexist).

Quote
Would you be happier if she added "most" in front of that sentence?

It's not about what makes me happy.  It's about how we can all best advance the cause, by encouraging positive change.  We don't encourage positive change by adopting behaviors we claim to oppose.

Quote
You can't be racist against the dominant race

We're clearly operating with different definitions of racism.  If the owner of a falafel restaurant refuses to serve a Latino customer because he's hates Mexicans, that's still racism.  No institutionalized oppression required, no dominant races required.  Racism can absolutely be a personal, one on one activity.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Dollar Slice on December 23, 2017, 07:41:09 PM
This discussion of the one thing you have done that no one else has done used to be fun. Now we get to be lectured about how we need to be nicer to white men if we don't want them to be assholes. (I've been skimming, but that's the general impression I got.)

All I want for Christmas is an unsubscribe button, an unsubscribe button, an unsubscribe button...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Jenny Wren on December 24, 2017, 07:51:02 AM

All I want for Christmas is an unsubscribe button, an unsubscribe button, an unsubscribe button...

Seconded....
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: PoutineLover on December 24, 2017, 08:03:25 AM
And I fear it alienates some of the very people we need to be welcoming into the fold.
What fold are you talking about? I'm not welcoming anyone to the fight against sexism who can't recognize the part members of their own gender play in perpetuating sexism.
Pretending the old boys club doesn't exist to appease the fragile white male ego won't make it go away. First rule of the old boys club, don't talk about the old boys club.
If we water down the message so that every man can say well, that's not me so I'm fine, I have nothing to worry about, then who exactly are we holding accountable? Changing patterns of behaviour that disadvantage women requires naming those patterns, recognizing their effects and dismantling them.
Men have historically excluded women from higher education, property ownership, voting, corporate board leadership and yes, old boys club membership. Would any of that have ever changed if the previous sentence was never stated so that the poor men wouldn't be offended at that mean feminist saying nasty things about them?

All I want for Christmas is an unsubscribe button, an unsubscribe button, an unsubscribe button...

Seconded....
Sorry, this isn't the right place for this discussion. If it's going to continue, we should start a new thread.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: arebelspy on December 24, 2017, 11:27:57 AM
MOD NOTE: Let's get back on topic.

If you still want to discuss this, do not post in this thread, but PM me the first post where this digression started, and I'll move the posts to a new thread for you to continue discussing.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: big_owl on December 24, 2017, 04:34:37 PM
I was randomly a co-author of a IEEE white paper that was chosen for presentation at an international IEEE conference, and somehow got chosen for publication in an IEEE IAS magazine.  I am what you'd call a world expert in rearing giant silkmoths, not many ppl alive have more experience than I do.   And finally, I have a stinkpot turtle that I've had for over 31 yrs.  He's at least 40yrs old!  Humble brag over!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on December 24, 2017, 06:10:50 PM
I flew in a Russian built Hip helicopter from Kabul to Gardez right before the US military decided we shouldn't fly in them as they weren't very safe.

On the same trip we flew in to Kabul on Azerbaijan Airlines right before the US forbid us to fly on commercial aircraft into Kabul as the airport was cutting the jet fuel with kerosene.

Fun trip!

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Plugging Along on December 29, 2017, 02:14:00 PM
- Stopped an armed home invasion by jumping onto the get away car as it was trying to drive away and ripping out the keys out of the ignitions while one of the gun man tried to take my mom hostage. 

- road in the locked trunk of a small taxi in Mexico for over an hour in 100+ degree heat only to find a machette in my face.

- got caught in wearing a shower curtain in the elevator from VP on my firsf  days after he congratulated me on my first management position

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: stoaX on December 29, 2017, 02:23:03 PM
- Stopped an armed home invasion by jumping onto the get away car as it was trying to drive away and ripping out the keys out of the ignitions while one of the gun man tried to take my mom hostage. 

- road in the locked trunk of a small taxi in Mexico for over an hour in 100+ degree heat only to find a machette in my face.

- got caught in wearing a shower curtain in the elevator from VP on my firsf  days after he congratulated me on my first management position

Wow - your story belongs in the "share your badassity" section!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Minnowstache on December 29, 2017, 03:05:48 PM
I met Mother Theresa when I was 8 and living in a Catholic orphanage - she came and stayed for a couple of days! She was actually pretty cool - I have a good memory and remember her telling us stories including one that shocked me at the time. She travelled around India by train and when she did not have enough money the other people in the train helped them hide in the baggage rack when the ticket inspector came to check the tickets.

This was not in India but on the other side of the world (please don’t quote - NZ-). So many people did not believe my story that I wondered if I had imagined it but found it was definitely true a few years ago when I met someone who’s sister was a nun there at the time.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: e34bb098 on December 29, 2017, 03:41:46 PM
Kirk Hammett (guitarist from Metallica) asked me where the bathroom was.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Free Spirit on December 29, 2017, 04:05:24 PM
When I was 5 yeas old Hulk Hogan came to the Wal-Mart in my town to sign autographs (and maybe he had a book out but I'm not entirely sure)  Well, my mom and I stood in line for quite a bit but when it was my turn to meet him he got up out of his chair like he was about to leave. I was kinda bummed thinking he was done for the day and I had missed my chance to meet him, I'm sure I had a defeated look on my face. He then crouched down in front of me, whispered, "I'll be right back, I just have to pee, make sure nobody steals anything..." and pointed to a lockbox where, I presumed, he was keeping his cash. I felt like the most important person in the world for those few minutes and he even signed my picture with a "thanks for watching over my stuff". haha

So, I can effectively say that I was a security guard for Hulk Hogan at the tender age of 5. :D
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on December 29, 2017, 07:41:33 PM
Kirk Hammett (guitarist from Metallica) asked me where the bathroom was.

Mark Arm of Mudhoney kicked me in the head.  He was crowdsurfing and playing guitar simultaneously.  I've never done either.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Primm on December 30, 2017, 02:44:21 AM
I spent my 40th birthday with Nick Mason.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: davisgang90 on December 30, 2017, 03:49:02 AM
My helicopter squadron's wardroom (the officers) are no longer welcome at the Orlando Medieval Times location.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: limeandpepper on December 30, 2017, 10:29:43 AM
He then crouched down in front of me, whispered, "I'll be right back, I just have to pee, make sure nobody steals anything..." and pointed to a lockbox where, I presumed, he was keeping his cash. I felt like the most important person in the world for those few minutes and he even signed my picture with a "thanks for watching over my stuff". haha

Awwww that's nice!! :))
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Fomerly known as something on December 30, 2017, 10:37:58 AM
Been sent to three countries for work where you can't use a US based credit card.  One of those countries requires foreigners to pay for everything in hard currency and one has a special currency to be used by foreigners. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Fitzy1 on January 02, 2018, 10:00:09 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok...

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Good point. I can trace my ancestry back to William The Conqueror (1066), due to a link to a minor noble a few hundred years ago. Once you have a link to the nobility, it's straightforward to trace ancestry back further (even after taking into account suspected illegitimate children).

But millions of Brits must also descend from William The Conqueror, even if they don't know it. After all, it's 32 generations ago, and 2 to the power 32 is a very big number (even when you reduce it to allow for intermarriage).

This pretty much sums up how I traced my lineage, nobles had much better record keeping than peasants.

Also, hello *very* distant cousin!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: lifejoy on January 02, 2018, 10:32:05 AM
Hmm lived a supremely cautious, long, healthy and happy life without working too hard!

You wild, adventurous and industrious folk make for nice reading! But I think I’m not cut from the same cloth...

Has anyone else read catch-22 three times? :D
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: DesireeD on January 04, 2018, 04:10:04 AM
Kurt Cobain threw up on the floor next to me in a green room before getting on stage to perform in a small grunge theater in Tacoma Washington in the late 1980's.
Title: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Roadrunner53 on January 04, 2018, 06:22:21 AM
When I was about 10 years old I was riding my bike in the parking lot of a small school near my house during the summer. The front door was open and I could see down the hallway to the back door that was also open. I couldn't resist so I drove my bicycle thru the front door out the back door! It was a long hall. Didn't see any janitors or anyone but I was very scared and peddled my ass home as fast as I could!

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: WhiteTrashCash on January 04, 2018, 08:06:20 AM
Rosy,

Thank you for sharing your story.  I think your perspectives are important for people to hear, especially if they're facing similar circumstances.

But as straight white male who has devoted his entire professional life to supporting the changes you want to see, I feel I should also point out that the following statement was pretty disappointingly sexist and discriminatory, and undermines your entire message.

Men close rank and the good ole boy network is alive and well - make no mistake about that.

Whenever you lump all members of a group together and then make negative and discriminatory commentary about that group, you are NOT "being the change" you are contributing to the larger problem.  At least, that's true if "the problem" is people who perpetuate discriminatory stereotypes.  Maybe not a problem if you just want to tear down one gender at the expense of the other but that's not really social justice, is it?

If we want to see real change in society, we all need to work on it together.  Women cannot change the world alone.  Minorities cannot change the world alone.  We need everyone to get on board, including people in my demographic, and you only alienate them with comments like that one.  It's totally fair to talk about the injustices you have experienced, and that continue to plague big parts of civic life, but it's not helpful to lay the blame for those sins at the feet of people who are personally not responsible and who may otherwise be open to supporting change. 

By way of analogy, if you are a white American then your ancestors are responsible for genocide against Native Americans but it doesn't help struggling native communities if I go around shouting "racist!" at every white person I see.  For some of them it's a fair description, but for the rest you do more harm than good by establishing and then reinforcing divisive social positions.  This is how we end up with the people like Richard Spencer, who thrive on that us vs them mentality.  That's not the way to fix things.
Thing is, sol, that ever since human beings first circumnavigated the earth (1522, yes I did have to look it up) the social, economic and political structures of the world have been set up by and for the benefit of able bodied, white, heterosexual men.  The legacy of those 500 years is deeply embedded, and the last 100 years of growing recognition of that fact has still only scratched the surface of entrenched privilege.

I see Rosy's statement about men closing ranks and the old boy network as a statement of that fundamental truth.   Are there men who are part of the change we want to see?  Absolutely.   A statement about the biased structures we all live under does not need to be, and should not be, taken to be a personal attack on our male allies.

People in general want to be part of the "good guys" not the "bad guys".

Martin Luther King Jr. understood this and actively sought to involve white people in the civil rights movement, because he knew that whites make up the majority of the population in the United States and the way to bring them over to the side of blacks to support civil rights was by appealing to their shared humanity. This is why Martin Luther King Jr. was immensely successful and Malcolm X ultimately was not. Malcolm X promoted civil rights by focusing on differences and offering blacks catharsis. It felt good for blacks to vent their well-justified anger over their situation, but it didn't make whites want to join the crusade to change policies and laws.

Civil rights legislation passed in the United States in the 1960s because enough whites were persuaded by Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders to team up with blacks.

Today, it's important to remember that telling white people who grew up in poverty that they are "privileged", telling men that they are responsible for society's ills, and demanding reparations for things that happened centuries ago does not promote feelings of shared humanity. It supports problems like white nationalism and masculism and other formerly fringe movements that are troubling and anti-social. You only have to look at the recent growth of some scary beliefs and behavior to see the evidence for this.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: soccerluvof4 on January 04, 2018, 03:58:51 PM
I was driving my car and a man was beating on a women out the front door onto the lawn. I stopped , jumped out and ran to the door and stopped the man and told him if he wanted to hit someone hit me. He ran into the house. I then went to help the lady who was walking down the street crying and beat up. Asked her if I could help or take her somewhere. Her response "f**k you and mind your own business.

When I was younger my brother and I were walking home from school (lived in the ghetto pretty much at that time) and got jumped in the alley and I got stabbed in my chest/Sternum but luckily was a cheap blade that snapped but still left a mark.

Also when I was younger when thermometers were filled with mercury i accidentally broke one and got a cut inside my wrist. To this day I dont know how my teacher noticed a red line moving up my arm and was fortunate it didnt get past my shoulder , pretty much saved my arm if not my life.


Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rosy on January 05, 2018, 10:31:55 AM
I see Rosy's statement about men closing ranks and the old boy network as a statement of that fundamental truth.   Are there men who are part of the change we want to see?  Absolutely.   A statement about the biased structures we all live under does not need to be, and should not be, taken to be a personal attack on our male allies.

I did not see in her statement a description of historical injustice.  I saw a stinging indictment of an entire group of modern day people, painted with a broad brush, applied to current living humans some of whom are present and participating in this discussion, and labeling them with a negative stereotype.  Not helpful!

It's the difference between saying "African American slaves in colonial America were illiterate" and "black people are stupid".  One is a description of a historical injustice.  The other is just racist and inflammatory.

Sol,
Ouch - to clarify: no stinging indictment intended at all, my apologies if it came across that way. We were discussing grievances and irritations women encounter in today's workplace and the good ole boy network is one of them. Do you really see it as inflammatory to say out loud that it still exists?
Of course, I am grateful for and recognize there are men who are part of the change we want to see. Thank you, Sol, for being one of them.

For this moment in time, however, my statement can still co-exist with the changes that are oh so slow in coming. Things are changing, the good ole boy network is no longer as prevalent as it once was and maybe the next generation will have no personal experiences like that at all and only read about it in the history books.
 
@former player and @Poutine - thank you, you understood exactly what I meant.
I didn't see this earlier or I would have responded sooner and Sol, you are still one of my favorites on this board.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: accolay on January 07, 2018, 02:23:40 AM
I was with a few people to pick up Conan O'Brien at the airport then take him to his hotel. I watched his luggage for a few minutes.

He's tall.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: middo on January 07, 2018, 03:07:59 AM
I've ridden a motorcycle from Geraldton (near Perth) to Hobart and back.   They are in Australia. Look them up.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: soccerluvof4 on January 10, 2018, 07:42:17 AM
I've ridden a motorcycle from Geraldton (near Perth) to Hobart and back.   They are in Australia. Look them up.

I did, WOW....5550 miles roughly, 8816kms  RT....Thats alot!!! Been on long rides but nothing close to that at least by Bike. Awesome.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheWifeHalf on January 10, 2018, 08:32:55 AM
I never took a poll, but I bet no one here has raised basenjis. I can make that ore specific if I have to.

I now see a lot of the posts are about brushes with the famous. It only happened to me once. TheHusbandHalf and I were staying at the Mariott in San Francisco. We sat down for breakfast and they had an omelet buffet. He decide to partake, not me.

While he went to the buffet, about 10 feet away coming in the back door with a look of 'how can I get in here without being noticed', was Tiger Woods.

A month later it became public that he was not who many of us thought he was.

The reason we were in San Francisco was directly related to basenis!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Kris on January 10, 2018, 08:36:36 AM
I was driving my car and a man was beating on a women out the front door onto the lawn. I stopped , jumped out and ran to the door and stopped the man and told him if he wanted to hit someone hit me. He ran into the house. I then went to help the lady who was walking down the street crying and beat up. Asked her if I could help or take her somewhere. Her response "f**k you and mind your own business.


Ugh, that's sad as hell. Not surprising, though, in that if the woman wasn't ready to completely leave the guy, her rationale was probably that your intervention would just end up making the guy madder, which he would take out on her later.

Note that I am NOT saying you shouldn't have done it or that any of that was your fault. It's just the twisted worldview an abused person gets into.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on January 10, 2018, 08:39:15 AM
While I have previously published professional articles, and co-authored a book chapter for my day job, this year I got a book of my hobby published (even got on some people's best of's list(comics).
Was invited at one point to write treatments for Futurama, but I was too busy with regular job.

Between my dysfunctional family and my obliviousness getting me in weird situations have enough material for at least another.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: soccerluvof4 on January 10, 2018, 10:09:24 AM
I was driving my car and a man was beating on a women out the front door onto the lawn. I stopped , jumped out and ran to the door and stopped the man and told him if he wanted to hit someone hit me. He ran into the house. I then went to help the lady who was walking down the street crying and beat up. Asked her if I could help or take her somewhere. Her response "f**k you and mind your own business.


Ugh, that's sad as hell. Not surprising, though, in that if the woman wasn't ready to completely leave the guy, her rationale was probably that your intervention would just end up making the guy madder, which he would take out on her later.

Note that I am NOT saying you shouldn't have done it or that any of that was your fault. It's just the twisted worldview an abused person gets into.


yea, it bothers to me this day and I think of it often having grown up in shit like that.  It also makes one realize why the police he going to domestic situations.  But , I cant help but wonder what happened to her/them long term because it was a beat down and I was on a pretty busy street when I slammed on the breaks and jumped out of my car.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: talltexan on January 12, 2018, 07:11:27 AM
I can trace my ancestry back to notable Viking Rollo Rothbrok...

More like tens of millions, I would think, probably most people in the UK & Ireland would be descendants of his. Just about everyone who had children in Britain in the ninth or tenth century would be an ancestor of the current UK native population. Being able to produce a paper trail to show ancestry that far back is pretty unusual though.
Good point. I can trace my ancestry back to William The Conqueror (1066), due to a link to a minor noble a few hundred years ago. Once you have a link to the nobility, it's straightforward to trace ancestry back further (even after taking into account suspected illegitimate children).

But millions of Brits must also descend from William The Conqueror, even if they don't know it. After all, it's 32 generations ago, and 2 to the power 32 is a very big number (even when you reduce it to allow for intermarriage).

Practically everyone in Asia is descended from Ghengis Khan right?

I think modern estimates are that Ghengis Khan was responsible for the extermination of 5% of the world population while he was alive, and that 1%-3% of the world's population today are descended from him. So he killed a lot of people, but at least he set about trying to replace 'em.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: pegleglolita on January 14, 2018, 09:44:25 AM
I've performed autopsies on hundreds of animals, including two elephants, a giraffe, a tiger, a kudu, camels, and a bald eagle.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on January 15, 2018, 07:27:28 AM
I've performed autopsies on hundreds of animals, including two elephants, a giraffe, a tiger, a kudu, camels, and a bald eagle.   

Congratulations, I think. Or maybe I should say, my sympathies ;-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on January 15, 2018, 09:09:57 AM
I was driving my car and a man was beating on a women out the front door onto the lawn. I stopped , jumped out and ran to the door and stopped the man and told him if he wanted to hit someone hit me. He ran into the house. I then went to help the lady who was walking down the street crying and beat up. Asked her if I could help or take her somewhere. Her response "f**k you and mind your own business.

This is not surprising.  Domestic abuse is emotionally and psychologically complicated.  The victim needs to come to terms with a lot of things before they are ready to seek out the help they need.

I was cycling about forty kilometers out of the city near a camp ground and came upon a man screaming at a woman who was walking away from him several hundred meters in front.  She was crying, and had some scrapes on her face.  I slowed next to her, asked if she needed any help, and got a similar response to what you did.

Still glad that I asked though, it would have bugged me for the rest of the day if I'd just zipped by.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on January 15, 2018, 09:45:08 AM
I was driving my car and a man was beating on a women out the front door onto the lawn. I stopped , jumped out and ran to the door and stopped the man and told him if he wanted to hit someone hit me. He ran into the house. I then went to help the lady who was walking down the street crying and beat up. Asked her if I could help or take her somewhere. Her response "f**k you and mind your own business.

This is not surprising.  Domestic abuse is emotionally and psychologically complicated.  The victim needs to come to terms with a lot of things before they are ready to seek out the help they need.

I was cycling about forty kilometers out of the city near a camp ground and came upon a man screaming at a woman who was walking away from him several hundred meters in front.  She was crying, and had some scrapes on her face.  I slowed next to her, asked if she needed any help, and got a similar response to what you did.

Still glad that I asked though, it would have bugged me for the rest of the day if I'd just zipped by.
I had better results once.  I heard screaming from the bedroom of the house next door at about midnight, went and knocked on the door, young woman opened the bedroom window, I said "do you want to spend the rest of the night with me next door?"  She walked out of the house in pyjamas and bare feet. Went back the next day to collect her clothes and live elsewhere.  I think it helped that she was young and the relationship was new: there hadn't been enough time for the usual hostage grooming to take hold.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BTDretire on January 15, 2018, 09:59:20 AM
Mostly posting to follow but maybe this one will work?

Failed the vision test at the DMV.

I'm nearly blind in one eye (untreated lazy eye so now it's permanent), but never had a problem in another state passing the vision test. For some reason this state requires me to take a form to the eye doctor despite my better eye being fine when wearing contacts.

  I have a treated lazy eye and once during the vision test, they said read the letters, I said there's nothing there, they assured me there was. I closed my good eye and there it was, I read it and passed the test.
 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BTDretire on January 15, 2018, 10:07:19 AM

When bob dole was running for president, his VP choice (Kemp) mistook me for a high end call girl and invited me back to his hotel after a debate.  (i didn't go. I'm not a republican)

 "high end" Was that a humblebrag?    :-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BTDretire on January 15, 2018, 10:26:11 AM
Licked my elbows!
I can do this!  My shoulders are unreasonably flexible.

Mine is I met my husband on the side of a battlefield in the 12th century.

  When I was younger I had a friend that bragged about getting a lot of dates, by licking his eyebrows!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BTDretire on January 15, 2018, 11:14:11 AM
Well 2-1/2 hours of life gone after reading this thread. Thoroughly enjoyed it though.

 I ate a Cal Tech cafeteria and sat at the next table near Stephen Hawkings where he was presenting at a seminar on String theory. If that's not unique, he choked on his food and his aid removed him from the cafeteria.

 I lived in a dead end neighborhood, I got stopped by an officer blocking the entrance road, I proved I lived there, he let me through and I found a helicopter crashed on the street in front of my house.

 Had a nervous doctor take a sliver out of my eyeball with a hypodermic needle.

  Went to Alice Cooper concert "Welcome to My Nightmare" in 1975.

 I guess I need to get out more!  :-)

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on January 15, 2018, 01:49:12 PM
I ate a Cal Tech cafeteria and sat at the next table near Stephen Hawkings where he was presenting at a seminar on String theory. If that's not unique, he choked on his food and his aid removed him from the cafeteria.

Sorry, not unique.  I had dinner with Hawkings three times, as a Caltech undergrad in the 90s.  Funny dude, though conversation is unnaturally slow through the synthesizer. 

And yea, eating with a severe disability like that is rough.  I'm amazed he still volunteers to eat in semi-public settings.

I know there are a few other former techers on the forum.  They will all shake their heads knowingly when I say that life at a place like tech exposes you to an incredibly weird list of experiences not shared by anyone outside of the community. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Parizade on January 15, 2018, 01:59:21 PM
A refrigerator fell on me. I survived but still have the scar.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: le-weekend on January 15, 2018, 02:10:21 PM
I danced with Frankie Manning, jazz age legend and widely credited originator of the lindy hop aerial, in Sweden.

 ( Parizade, I LOVE the little FIRE ticker and the quote at the bottom of your post above! )
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Parizade on January 15, 2018, 02:17:51 PM
( Parizade, I LOVE the little FIRE ticker and the quote at the bottom of your post above! )

thanks le weekend :-)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: caracarn on January 15, 2018, 03:03:14 PM
I am born on the 4th of July.  My brother who is six years younger was born on the 4th of July (1976 by the way, bicentennial baby), and my son was born on the 4th of July.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on January 15, 2018, 06:07:11 PM
I am born on the 4th of July.  My brother who is six years younger was born on the 4th of July (1976 by the way, bicentennial baby), and my son was born on the 4th of July.

Early October is a frisky month for your family.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: clarkai on January 15, 2018, 06:35:11 PM
I have performed partner acrobatics for pay. I have also been part of a duo act of static trapeze + partner acro, non-paid but to benefit the studio at which I train.

I have also been a midwife to cows and goats.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on January 16, 2018, 01:16:30 AM
I have also been a midwife to cows and goats.
I have not only midwifed a cow, I had the calf named after me.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Astatine on January 16, 2018, 01:25:16 AM
I lived in a dead end neighborhood, I got stopped by an officer blocking the entrance road, I proved I lived there, he let me through and I found a helicopter crashed on the street in front of my house.

<snip>

  Went to Alice Cooper concert "Welcome to My Nightmare" in 1975.


Wow @ the helicopter! What a randorm weird thing to happen.

And I'm totally jealous about Alice Cooper (that said, I was a very young child in 1975 so I wouldn't have appreciated it much at the time ;)). I saw him in concert last year. Totally worth it.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: JLee on January 16, 2018, 07:01:15 PM
Mostly posting to follow but maybe this one will work?

Failed the vision test at the DMV.

I'm nearly blind in one eye (untreated lazy eye so now it's permanent), but never had a problem in another state passing the vision test. For some reason this state requires me to take a form to the eye doctor despite my better eye being fine when wearing contacts.

  I have a treated lazy eye and once during the vision test, they said read the letters, I said there's nothing there, they assured me there was. I closed my good eye and there it was, I read it and passed the test.

I've done that as well, except I didn't think to close the other eye and I just read off the letters again...most of which I could see just fine. The test guy was like 'huh. Sometimes people aren't lined up right with the machine, it's fine.'
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Milizard on January 16, 2018, 07:07:12 PM
I went iceberg hopping in Lake Michigan.

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on January 19, 2018, 04:50:54 AM
Been a spy.   

Definition: Gathering info at the behest of the US Govt in a secret Russian city.
The last Russian map I've seen does not show this city of 50,000 -100,000 people  Zeleznogorsk/Krasnyorsk-26 in the middle of Siberia. The map shows villages of hundreds of people.

So I was a really bad spy who's cover story matched the real story.   I even had to admit that I couldn't even pick a luggage lock.

I became a fan of nuclear steam heated bath towel racks there.

Was tempted to put spy as my occupation on my tax return , but I chickened out.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Abe on January 20, 2018, 04:14:30 PM
I provided first aid at the scene of a domestic terror attack. Also got yelled at someone who didn't know first aid telling me I was doing it wrong (guy had a femur fracture and I was checking for bleeding). That person then passed out and had to give first aid to them also. Later on, that person found a reporter and claimed that they had treated the first person.

Also got to say "come with me if you want to live" to a drunk guy who had been shot in the abdomen and was refusing surgery. Did not do it with Schwarzenegger's accent, which I now regret. It did work, though!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Abe on January 20, 2018, 04:16:47 PM
Been a spy.   

Definition: Gathering info at the behest of the US Govt in a secret Russian city.
The last Russian map I've seen does not show this city of 50,000 -100,000 people  Zeleznogorsk/Krasnyorsk-26 in the middle of Siberia. The map shows villages of hundreds of people.

So I was a really bad spy who's cover story matched the real story.   I even had to admit that I couldn't even pick a luggage lock.

I became a fan of nuclear steam heated bath towel racks there.

Was tempted to put spy as my occupation on my tax return , but I chickened out.

Awesome. Did the towels glow? Also, do you think you'd get a tax break for hazardous duty?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on January 20, 2018, 04:35:42 PM
Here's another. Had Ed Paschke try to convince me to steal an object from an art installation of everything in Elvis's bathroom when he died. Also Dan Clowes modeled, at least in part, the blonde girl in Ghost World on my twin sister.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on January 21, 2018, 04:53:06 AM
Been a spy.   

Definition: Gathering info at the behest of the US Govt in a secret Russian city.
The last Russian map I've seen does not show this city of 50,000 -100,000 people  Zeleznogorsk/Krasnyorsk-26 in the middle of Siberia. The map shows villages of hundreds of people.

So I was a really bad spy who's cover story matched the real story.   I even had to admit that I couldn't even pick a luggage lock.

I became a fan of nuclear steam heated bath towel racks there.

Was tempted to put spy as my occupation on my tax return , but I chickened out.

Awesome. Did the towels glow? Also, do you think you'd get a tax break for hazardous duty?

As I was working for a private company, no tax break.   No glow on the towels.

The name of the place were I stayed was a Профилактический санаторий  -- prophylactic sanitarium--- sophomoric giggling, snorting ensued.
Americanish translation-- prophylactic= condom. 

I hope google translate got the Russian right, if not I apologize.  You'll notice a spy who doesn't even know the language.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: NevermindScrooge on February 02, 2018, 11:54:30 AM
Great stories! It’s fun/gross/thought provoking to read your adventures. I’m mainly posting to follow as I’m very boring and usually careful.

So my humble contribution is this: I stepped into a rusty nail in the backyard some years ago and quickly phoned the doctor’s office.  As my shoe filled with blood my rationality leaked away; the programmed response on the doctors phone said “press one for emergency” and I asked my boyfriend if this counted as an emergency.
It was interesting to see a someone yelling, almost fainting and facepalming all at once.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheWifeHalf on February 02, 2018, 01:04:43 PM
10-15 years ago I got my first speeding ticket as I was looking for the spot of a dog show that I had entered. I was told I was going some obscene speed in a construction zone, but he was only going to write 20 over so I would not have to show up in court. He said 'because I was so far from home.'

It came in the mail, I paid it. 1-2 years later I was shopping for car insurance and every place I called said I had no ticket??? Yes I do, I have the cancelled check. Nope, no ticket.

A few months after that, there was a teeny tiny article in the paper about a certain area whose records for one month were lost when transferred, by computer, to the state capitol.

It was my first ticket, and it got lost!

I got stopped again on the way home from a dog show 5-6 months later. I was told "since I was so close to home" it would just be a warning. At the time I thought wow, with the first ticket so recent?

So, on record, I have never had a speeding ticket! Those are the only 2 times I have ever gotten stopped, but it makes a fun story.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ketchup on February 02, 2018, 01:35:32 PM
Also got to say "come with me if you want to live" to a drunk guy who had been shot in the abdomen and was refusing surgery. Did not do it with Schwarzenegger's accent, which I now regret. It did work, though!
This is remarkably badass!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: e34bb098 on February 03, 2018, 08:22:47 PM
I lived in a serial killer’s basement.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MrDelane on February 03, 2018, 09:05:38 PM
Kirk Hammett (guitarist from Metallica) asked me where the bathroom was.

Believe it or not you're not the only one here that can claim that.
Small world, I guess.


I lived in a serial killer’s basement.

THAT on the other hand... I'm glad I can't claim to have done.
Care to expand?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: e34bb098 on February 03, 2018, 09:54:09 PM
Kirk Hammett (guitarist from Metallica) asked me where the bathroom was.

Believe it or not you're not the only one here that can claim that.
Small world, I guess.


I lived in a serial killer’s basement.

THAT on the other hand... I'm glad I can't claim to have done.
Care to expand?

Sure.

I was dating a girl. She wanted to move halfway across the country because she wanted to be closer to her family. I lived in her parents' basement for a bit while I was looking for my own place. I got my own place, but things didn't work out between the girl and me, so I moved back closer to home.

Then years later, I was traveling for work and sitting in a hotel dining room eating breakfast. The news was on and suddenly my ex-GF was on the TV. Her dad was on trial for murdering her mom. There was this media frenzy over it because on the surface they were this perfect family. It made the cover of People magazine, my ex got interviewed by Nancy Grace, and the trial was broadcast on Court TV.

He almost got away with it. During the trial it came out that he'd almost certainly killed a whole bunch of other people too. His brother and a whole bunch of other people around him had all died under suspicious circumstances, usually by drowning -- which was how his wife had died.

He was convicted of the crime and committed suicide in prison.

There’s a Wikipedia article (http://bit.ly/2urN7mt) about it, and a lurid true crime book if you feel like spending money.

So overall, it was a shitty situation. Obviously. I dodged a bullet. I’m not in contact with my ex but she certainly didn’t deserve that.

It’s pretty weird about Kirk Hammet though.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MrDelane on February 03, 2018, 10:08:30 PM
WOAH.
That is nuts!

As far as Kirk Hammet, didn't mean to take the wind out of your sails on that one.
He was at my work once and I had to point out the bathroom to him.
A bizarre coincidence.

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: e34bb098 on February 03, 2018, 10:21:11 PM
Haha, no worries re: Hammett. It is a weird coincidence though.

He asked me about the bathroom at the Borders Books in Monterey CA. I guess even rock stars needed reading material in the pre-Kindle days.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: a-scho on February 03, 2018, 10:29:42 PM
I used to sell a lot of books on half.com. They just recently closed shop, so I decided to go through my huge inventory and donate most of them. One book, "The Wild Oats Project" was one I decided to read before getting rid of it. It's a memoir about this mid forties married woman who wasn't satisfied with how her married life was playing out. So, she decides to spend a year bedding people she met from a classified ad she ran.  Her husband wasn't really on board, but felt he had to let her get it out of her system. ANYWAY, the book goes into great detail about who she meets, what they do together, all the sex, more sex, sex, sex, sex. One man, sort of stood out from the rest of the pack, to her AND to me, the reader. The description of him was totally spot on to someone I had dated several years earlier.  What he looked like, age, height, profession, hobbies, philosophical leanings, everything!!!!! Well, his name was changed, but that's it. So, I google the author's name and his real name and BAM! it's him!! I just spent the last couple of hours reading in super eye rolling, cringey, heebie jeebie detail about an exes current sex life, in a published book. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: shelivesthedream on February 04, 2018, 01:28:25 AM
I lived in a serial killer’s basement.

I read the Wikipedia article, as a detective story enthusiast. Very interesting balance between an extremely cunning idea and a massively suspicious execution. I mean, the drugs and the "accidental" drowning are sort of clever, but you can't just vanish for two hours on the day of your wife's death when everyone (apparently including her!) knows that you want her gone. Concept good, massively failed to pay attention to details.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: e34bb098 on February 04, 2018, 02:38:12 PM
I lived in a serial killer’s basement.

I read the Wikipedia article, as a detective story enthusiast. Very interesting balance between an extremely cunning idea and a massively suspicious execution. I mean, the drugs and the "accidental" drowning are sort of clever, but you can't just vanish for two hours on the day of your wife's death when everyone (apparently including her!) knows that you want her gone. Concept good, massively failed to pay attention to details.

This is armchair psychology, but I think it kind of fits with the general profile of the guy: thought he was smarter than everyone else, and had gotten away with so much fraud over the course of his life, that he got sloppy.

One of the more unsettling things (other than, you know, the multiple murders) was how hard he was to read. I never knew if he liked me or not — he’d give constantly mixed signals. And the negative side wasn’t so much dislike as it was aloofness or apathy. In retrospect I think this was a control mechanism: constantly keeping people on edge and uncertain. I don’t know whether it was deliberate or not.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wbranch on February 05, 2018, 11:53:19 AM
I have also been a midwife to cows and goats.
I have not only midwifed a cow, I had the calf named after me.

Skimming through this thread and this is the closed to my "thing". I grew up on a small dairy farm and assisted with many calf births, artificial insemination, dehornings, castrations and other veterinary activities. Started assisting when around 6 years old by cleaning/carrying tools and then got more involved as I got older. Partially due to necessity since the nearest vet was 30+ min drive away, and my dad always felt the savings were worth it DIY style. 

Most memorable was helping my dad do an episiotomy on a heifer using a pocket knife when I was around 10. Had to help sharpen the knife, and then go get my fishing line and a needle to sew things up. The heifer was around for many years after that with no issues.

Another time we had a young pig that had a hernia issue after it was castrated. Sewed up with fishing line and it lived healthy for the remaining months until butchering. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: bacchi on February 05, 2018, 12:40:32 PM
Been a spy.   

Definition: Gathering info at the behest of the US Govt in a secret Russian city.
The last Russian map I've seen does not show this city of 50,000 -100,000 people  Zeleznogorsk/Krasnyorsk-26 in the middle of Siberia. The map shows villages of hundreds of people.

So I was a really bad spy who's cover story matched the real story.   I even had to admit that I couldn't even pick a luggage lock.

I became a fan of nuclear steam heated bath towel racks there.

Was tempted to put spy as my occupation on my tax return , but I chickened out.

Awesome. Did the towels glow? Also, do you think you'd get a tax break for hazardous duty?

As I was working for a private company, no tax break.   No glow on the towels.

The name of the place were I stayed was a Профилактический санаторий  -- prophylactic sanitarium--- sophomoric giggling, snorting ensued.
Americanish translation-- prophylactic= condom. 

I hope google translate got the Russian right, if not I apologize.  You'll notice a spy who doesn't even know the language.

Did you get a flag or at least a decal with the town emblem?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zheleznogorsk,_Krasnoyarsk_Krai#/media/File:Flag_of_Zheleznogorsk.svg
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ElizaStache on February 05, 2018, 12:54:25 PM
Diagnosed with emphysema at 23, turns out 1/4 of your left lung can remain undeveloped after birth. In 2016 my lung collapsed twice, once in July and the other in October. Intubation is brutal.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Roadrunner53 on February 05, 2018, 01:07:29 PM
My company sent me to Switzerland because no one else wanted to go. It was a training session for a few days and when I came back to USA I never used the training! The round trip tickets cost something like $6,000 and they were first class! LOL!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on February 05, 2018, 01:41:15 PM
Been a spy.   

Definition: Gathering info at the behest of the US Govt in a secret Russian city.
The last Russian map I've seen does not show this city of 50,000 -100,000 people  Zeleznogorsk/Krasnyorsk-26 in the middle of Siberia. The map shows villages of hundreds of people.

So I was a really bad spy who's cover story matched the real story.   I even had to admit that I couldn't even pick a luggage lock.

I became a fan of nuclear steam heated bath towel racks there.

Was tempted to put spy as my occupation on my tax return , but I chickened out.

Awesome. Did the towels glow? Also, do you think you'd get a tax break for hazardous duty?

As I was working for a private company, no tax break.   No glow on the towels.

The name of the place were I stayed was a Профилактический санаторий  -- prophylactic sanitarium--- sophomoric giggling, snorting ensued.
Americanish translation-- prophylactic= condom. 

I hope google translate got the Russian right, if not I apologize.  You'll notice a spy who doesn't even know the language.

Did you get a flag or at least a decal with the town emblem?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zheleznogorsk,_Krasnoyarsk_Krai#/media/File:Flag_of_Zheleznogorsk.svg
Nope.  The place is very not set up for tourists, you have to have a written invitation and special visa to get there.   Even Russians can't get in without specific reasons.   I think I bought some toothpaste, Colgate, if I remember correctly.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: AlanStache on February 05, 2018, 07:04:27 PM
I have also been a midwife to cows and goats.
I have not only midwifed a cow, I had the calf named after me.

Skimming through this thread and this is the closed to my "thing". I grew up on a small dairy farm and assisted with many calf births, artificial insemination, dehornings, castrations and other veterinary activities. Started assisting when around 6 years old by cleaning/carrying tools and then got more involved as I got older. Partially due to necessity since the nearest vet was 30+ min drive away, and my dad always felt the savings were worth it DIY style. 

Most memorable was helping my dad do an episiotomy on a heifer using a pocket knife when I was around 10. Had to help sharpen the knife, and then go get my fishing line and a needle to sew things up. The heifer was around for many years after that with no issues.

Another time we had a young pig that had a hernia issue after it was castrated. Sewed up with fishing line and it lived healthy for the remaining months until butchering.

How do you make sure the fishing line does not end up in human food? 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on February 05, 2018, 07:08:30 PM
How do you make sure the fishing line does not end up in human food?

I'm pretty they don't just throw a whole animal into the burger grinder.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: LWYRUP on February 05, 2018, 07:16:53 PM

One time I got chewed out late at night via e-mail by a top executive at one of the three largest private equity funds in the world because he didn't want to spend $5k on a due diligence requirement that was necessary to approve one of his personal investments in the fund.

I suppose that's the sort of attitude that helps you get from $100 million to $1 billion.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: AlanStache on February 05, 2018, 07:29:03 PM
How do you make sure the fishing line does not end up in human food?

I'm pretty they don't just throw a whole animal into the burger grinder.

Clearly.  The auger has to remove the dog chew toys first :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhoHwQ0cwIQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhoHwQ0cwIQ)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: a-scho on February 05, 2018, 10:29:20 PM


The name of the place were I stayed was a Профилактический санаторий  -- prophylactic sanitarium--- sophomoric giggling, snorting ensued.
Americanish translation-- prophylactic= condom. 

I hope google translate got the Russian right, if not I apologize.  You'll notice a spy who doesn't even know the language.
[/quote]


I thought prophylactic meant "course of action to prevent disease". Condoms are one kind, but so are sanitariums that offer saunas, spas, healthy food, peaceful surroundings, etc.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on February 05, 2018, 11:16:20 PM

Quote
- markbike528cbx]
The name of the place were I stayed was a Профилактический санаторий  -- prophylactic sanitarium--- sophomoric giggling, snorting ensued.
Americanish translation-- prophylactic= condom. 

I hope google translate got the Russian right, if not I apologize.  You'll notice a spy who doesn't even know the language.


I thought prophylactic meant "course of action to prevent disease". Condoms are one kind, but so are sanitariums that offer saunas, spas, healthy food, peaceful surroundings, etc.

For me, sanitarium is associated with or a euphemism for insane asylum.
I have heard of sanitariums for tuberculosis treatment early in the 20th century.  Large scale active tuberculosis is not common in the US anymore as far as I know.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Milizard on February 06, 2018, 05:00:53 AM

Quote
- markbike528cbx]
The name of the place were I stayed was a Профилактический санаторий  -- prophylactic sanitarium--- sophomoric giggling, snorting ensued.
Americanish translation-- prophylactic= condom. 

I hope google translate got the Russian right, if not I apologize.  You'll notice a spy who doesn't even know the language.


I thought prophylactic meant "course of action to prevent disease". Condoms are one kind, but so are sanitariums that offer saunas, spas, healthy food, peaceful surroundings, etc.

For me, sanitarium is associated with or a euphemism for insane asylum.
I have heard of sanitariums for tuberculosis treatment early in the 20th century.  Large scale active tuberculosis is not common in the US anymore as far as I know.

My understanding from Polish relatives are that sanitariums are for R&R, usually after an illness.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on February 06, 2018, 05:59:18 AM

My understanding from Polish relatives are that sanitariums are for R&R, usually after an illness.
They are actually a sane and humane way of enabling people who don't need to be in hospital but aren't ready for home to recuperate and rehabilitate.  We could do with some NHS ones here in the UK.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on February 06, 2018, 07:05:06 AM
My understanding from Polish relatives are that sanitariums are for R&R, usually after an illness.

It was a nice place, great food.  I understood some parts were still used for R&R, some parts as a day spa.  It was the only place in a town of 100,000 people that Westerners would recognize as a hotel.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Melisande on February 07, 2018, 08:28:28 PM
*Survived a 5-hour hostage situation, even though the guy next to me unfortunately did not.
*Was mentioned by Dave Letterman on his eponymous show (related to the above)
*Won a Fulbright fellowship to Belgium
*Met and spoke for a few minutes with the King of Belgium (related to the above)
*Wandered around in a cow pasture before dawn trying to see/hear an American Woodcock.
*Got to know a Turing Award winner (The Turing Award is something like the Nobel prize for Computer Science).
*Got elected to represent Howard Dean at the 2004 Iowa State Democratic Convention
*Cooked an entire Ethiopian meal (including Injira) from scnratch using authentic ingredients
*Accidentally overstayed tourist Visa in Russia (<== ooops)
*Proposed to my future husband 17 days after our first date.
*Found a male Bluethroat while trying to go to the bathroom in a marsh
*Sang an hour-long solo vocal recital at Juilliard.

Sorry, more than one ...







Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on February 08, 2018, 07:58:15 AM
*Survived a 5-hour hostage situation, even though the guy next to me unfortunately did not.
*Was mentioned by Dave Letterman on his eponymous show (related to the above)
*Won a Fulbright fellowship to Belgium
*Met and spoke for a few minutes with the King of Belgium (related to the above)
*Wandered around in a cow pasture before dawn trying to see/hear an American Woodcock.
*Got to know a Turing Award winner (The Turing Award is something like the Nobel prize for Computer Science).
*Got elected to represent Howard Dean at the 2004 Iowa State Democratic Convention
*Cooked an entire Ethiopian meal (including Injira) from scnratch using authentic ingredients
*Accidentally overstayed tourist Visa in Russia (<== ooops)
*Proposed to my future husband 17 days after our first date.
*Found a male Bluethroat while trying to go to the bathroom in a marsh
*Sang an hour-long solo vocal recital at Juilliard.

Sorry, more than one ...

I suspect lots of wildlife-oriented types have done variants on your two bird ones.  I certainly have (e.g., unexpectedly found a snipe while wandering at dawn in tropical donkey pasture/fruit orchard, almost stepped on gila monster while distracted looking for gray hawk nests, slogged through cow pasture to see my first platypus, etc list of hundreds of incidents).

However, the other stuff on your list is seriously awesome and surprising.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Melisande on February 08, 2018, 08:36:02 AM
*Survived a 5-hour hostage situation, even though the guy next to me unfortunately did not.
*Was mentioned by Dave Letterman on his eponymous show (related to the above)
*Won a Fulbright fellowship to Belgium
*Met and spoke for a few minutes with the King of Belgium (related to the above)
*Wandered around in a cow pasture before dawn trying to see/hear an American Woodcock.
*Got to know a Turing Award winner (The Turing Award is something like the Nobel prize for Computer Science).
*Got elected to represent Howard Dean at the 2004 Iowa State Democratic Convention
*Cooked an entire Ethiopian meal (including Injira) from scnratch using authentic ingredients
*Accidentally overstayed tourist Visa in Russia (<== ooops)
*Proposed to my future husband 17 days after our first date.
*Found a male Bluethroat while trying to go to the bathroom in a marsh
*Sang an hour-long solo vocal recital at Juilliard.

Sorry, more than one ...

I suspect lots of wildlife-oriented types have done variants on your two bird ones.  I certainly have (e.g., unexpectedly found a snipe while wandering at dawn in tropical donkey pasture/fruit orchard, almost stepped on gila monster while distracted looking for gray hawk nests, slogged through cow pasture to see my first platypus, etc list of hundreds of incidents).


Still kind of crazy though for the non-birders/wildlife enthusiasts out there. I know, I’ve gotten some weird looks when we’ve shared some stories.

Quote
However, the other stuff on your list is seriously awesome and surprising.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on February 08, 2018, 08:40:03 AM
*Survived a 5-hour hostage situation, even though the guy next to me unfortunately did not.
*Was mentioned by Dave Letterman on his eponymous show (related to the above)
*Won a Fulbright fellowship to Belgium
*Met and spoke for a few minutes with the King of Belgium (related to the above)
*Wandered around in a cow pasture before dawn trying to see/hear an American Woodcock.
*Got to know a Turing Award winner (The Turing Award is something like the Nobel prize for Computer Science).
*Got elected to represent Howard Dean at the 2004 Iowa State Democratic Convention
*Cooked an entire Ethiopian meal (including Injira) from scnratch using authentic ingredients
*Accidentally overstayed tourist Visa in Russia (<== ooops)
*Proposed to my future husband 17 days after our first date.
*Found a male Bluethroat while trying to go to the bathroom in a marsh
*Sang an hour-long solo vocal recital at Juilliard.

Sorry, more than one ...

I suspect lots of wildlife-oriented types have done variants on your two bird ones.  I certainly have (e.g., unexpectedly found a snipe while wandering at dawn in tropical donkey pasture/fruit orchard, almost stepped on gila monster while distracted looking for gray hawk nests, slogged through cow pasture to see my first platypus, etc list of hundreds of incidents).


Still kind of crazy though for the non-birders/wildlife enthusiasts out there. I know, I’ve gotten some weird looks when we’ve shared some stories.

Quote
However, the other stuff on your list is seriously awesome and surprising.

Thanks!

The herpers are usually the craziest LOL.  They sometimes even surprise me.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: big_owl on February 08, 2018, 03:50:09 PM
*Survived a 5-hour hostage situation, even though the guy next to me unfortunately did not.
*Was mentioned by Dave Letterman on his eponymous show (related to the above)
*Won a Fulbright fellowship to Belgium
*Met and spoke for a few minutes with the King of Belgium (related to the above)
*Wandered around in a cow pasture before dawn trying to see/hear an American Woodcock.
*Got to know a Turing Award winner (The Turing Award is something like the Nobel prize for Computer Science).
*Got elected to represent Howard Dean at the 2004 Iowa State Democratic Convention
*Cooked an entire Ethiopian meal (including Injira) from scnratch using authentic ingredients
*Accidentally overstayed tourist Visa in Russia (<== ooops)
*Proposed to my future husband 17 days after our first date.
*Found a male Bluethroat while trying to go to the bathroom in a marsh
*Sang an hour-long solo vocal recital at Juilliard.

Sorry, more than one ...

I suspect lots of wildlife-oriented types have done variants on your two bird ones.  I certainly have (e.g., unexpectedly found a snipe while wandering at dawn in tropical donkey pasture/fruit orchard, almost stepped on gila monster while distracted looking for gray hawk nests, slogged through cow pasture to see my first platypus, etc list of hundreds of incidents).


Still kind of crazy though for the non-birders/wildlife enthusiasts out there. I know, I’ve gotten some weird looks when we’ve shared some stories.

Quote
However, the other stuff on your list is seriously awesome and surprising.

Thanks!

The herpers are usually the craziest LOL.  They sometimes even surprise me.

Lol the shit I have done herping is pretty shameful..  And hunting lepidoptera...I've found myself staring down the barrel of a shotgun no joke.   It ain't legal though, so we leave it at that.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Greenback Reproduction Specialist on February 08, 2018, 04:12:44 PM
-Lived in an offgrid cabin for two years with no running water or electricity.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: WootWoot on February 08, 2018, 04:13:37 PM
Met Joey Ramone and had a conversation with him backstage, in 1984

Dropped out of an MFA in creative writing program. Twice.

Got published in "Art Journaling" magazine.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wbranch on February 09, 2018, 11:42:07 AM
I have also been a midwife to cows and goats.
I have not only midwifed a cow, I had the calf named after me.

Skimming through this thread and this is the closed to my "thing". I grew up on a small dairy farm and assisted with many calf births, artificial insemination, dehornings, castrations and other veterinary activities. Started assisting when around 6 years old by cleaning/carrying tools and then got more involved as I got older. Partially due to necessity since the nearest vet was 30+ min drive away, and my dad always felt the savings were worth it DIY style. 

Most memorable was helping my dad do an episiotomy on a heifer using a pocket knife when I was around 10. Had to help sharpen the knife, and then go get my fishing line and a needle to sew things up. The heifer was around for many years after that with no issues.

Another time we had a young pig that had a hernia issue after it was castrated. Sewed up with fishing line and it lived healthy for the remaining months until butchering.

How do you make sure the fishing line does not end up in human food?

Essentially what sol said, but the fishing line stitches were in an exterior area where we were able to remove when healed. The hernia repair was probably not close to how a real vet would have done it.. the pig was also for personal consumption not being sold.

This line of thought reminds me that I have a good friend that worked at a large commercial hog production facility when he was in high school and he had one of the highest AI conception rates. I thought that would be the kind of thing he should have on his resume as a CPA but he never included it.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: partgypsy on February 12, 2018, 11:31:16 AM
I have also been a midwife to cows and goats.
I have not only midwifed a cow, I had the calf named after me.

Skimming through this thread and this is the closed to my "thing". I grew up on a small dairy farm and assisted with many calf births, artificial insemination, dehornings, castrations and other veterinary activities. Started assisting when around 6 years old by cleaning/carrying tools and then got more involved as I got older. Partially due to necessity since the nearest vet was 30+ min drive away, and my dad always felt the savings were worth it DIY style. 

Most memorable was helping my dad do an episiotomy on a heifer using a pocket knife when I was around 10. Had to help sharpen the knife, and then go get my fishing line and a needle to sew things up. The heifer was around for many years after that with no issues.

Another time we had a young pig that had a hernia issue after it was castrated. Sewed up with fishing line and it lived healthy for the remaining months until butchering.

How do you make sure the fishing line does not end up in human food?

Essentially what sol said, but the fishing line stitches were in an exterior area where we were able to remove when healed. The hernia repair was probably not close to how a real vet would have done it.. the pig was also for personal consumption not being sold.

This line of thought reminds me that I have a good friend that worked at a large commercial hog production facility when he was in high school and he had one of the highest AI conception rates. I thought that would be the kind of thing he should have on his resume as a CPA but he never included it.
yes on his resume he should say something like "I have inpregnated x many female pigs"
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: NoraLenderbee on February 12, 2018, 03:39:11 PM
I had Billy Crystal's brother as a teacher in junior high.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: oldmachines on April 27, 2018, 04:07:36 PM
I rode a DR650 motorcycle and camped my way from the Mexican to Canadian border on the Continental Divide trail. It profoundly changed my life and inspired me to let go of my consumerism lifestyle and pursue a richer life.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: middo on April 28, 2018, 05:33:17 AM
I rode a DR650 motorcycle and camped my way from the Mexican to Canadian border on the Continental Divide trail. It profoundly changed my life and inspired me to let go of my consumerism lifestyle and pursue a richer life.

Thats awesome. I am currently traversing Australia on my bike, a DL650.  This is my second trip in 3 weeks.  It changes your perspective on things
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: oldmachines on April 28, 2018, 10:16:59 AM
I rode a DR650 motorcycle and camped my way from the Mexican to Canadian border on the Continental Divide trail. It profoundly changed my life and inspired me to let go of my consumerism lifestyle and pursue a richer life.

Thats awesome. I am currently traversing Australia on my bike, a DL650.  This is my second trip in 3 weeks.  It changes your perspective on things
Good on ya!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: BlueHouse on May 01, 2018, 09:16:07 AM
Brushed by hammerhead shark, but not bitten or rammed
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheWifeHalf on May 05, 2018, 08:25:40 PM
I have square danced
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Rubic on May 06, 2018, 05:33:21 AM
I have square danced

I used to go square dancing all the time as a kid when we
were living out in the country.  It was considered a respectable
(i.e. not immoral) way to socialize.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on May 06, 2018, 06:24:12 AM
I have square danced

Voluntarily, OK, you got me there.

Involuntarily, as in gym class, done that.  Otherwise the closest I'd be is seeing a Black Happy concert at the Tri-Cities Hoedown Center.  Pogoing, moshing, watching kids swinging from the rafter beams.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Roland of Gilead on May 06, 2018, 08:11:09 AM
I have stood on top rim of a 100 meter radio telescope dish....as it was rotating
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on May 06, 2018, 08:31:12 AM
I have stood on top rim of a 100 meter radio telescope dish....as it was rotating
On purpose?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheWifeHalf on May 06, 2018, 01:17:27 PM
I used to go square dancing all the time as a kid when we
were living out in the country.  It was considered a respectable
(i.e. not immoral) way to socialize.

Back in the 80's there was a 'barn dance' a few times each summer, various places.
I'm going to research if that's done anymore. I know we had some square dances at our wedding reception, as most had. In fact, that's why we chose the band we did, they were kind of known for their square dance calls.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: TheWifeHalf on May 06, 2018, 06:43:22 PM
I bought a square in a cow patty drop (for charity)
I lost.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: e34bb098 on May 06, 2018, 08:56:48 PM
I bought a square in a cow patty drop (for charity)
I lost.

I’ve done that. Also lost.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Vibrissae on May 06, 2018, 09:16:57 PM

Wrote tentacle porn that was described by a reader as "wholesome."
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cassie on May 06, 2018, 11:34:27 PM
Took 24 college credits one summer, had a 4.0 and had 3 kids.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: powskier on May 06, 2018, 11:44:49 PM
I rode a DR650 motorcycle and camped my way from the Mexican to Canadian border on the Continental Divide trail. It profoundly changed my life and inspired me to let go of my consumerism lifestyle and pursue a richer life.
I did that on a real bike ;) the one where I am the motor and the fuel is counted in calories not gallons.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: jengod on May 06, 2018, 11:56:29 PM
Delivered my own baby, unassisted, on the way to the hospital.

I've been inside Ringo Starr's house. (He wasn't home at the time. We were invited.)

Ricky Gervais based a stand-up comedy performance on a website I used to operate in the 1990s.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: jengod on May 07, 2018, 12:02:32 AM
Appeared on Jeopardy!

I was on Jeopardy! too. High-five, nerd!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: radram on May 07, 2018, 06:08:35 AM
I bought a square in a cow patty drop (for charity)
I lost.

I did the same thing. Color me red when I realized (the hard way), that it only matters where the COW poops. I won't make that mistake again (by court order). And yes, I consider probation "a win".

Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Cassie on May 07, 2018, 09:47:56 AM
Spartana,  I was 31 when I went to college and yes it was exhausting. I then went to grad school and went years doing nothing for fun between school and kids.  The last 30 years have just flown by 😆
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: mm1970 on May 07, 2018, 11:03:40 AM
Quote
He said that straight to my face - perfectly nice guy and otherwise a great boss - "he" had a decision to make and he only had one promotion to give and yeah, well, he knew I was doing a better job, but still - I was not a family provider.
So I ask you, what would you have done?
Is this a situation that is perfectly acceptable in your book?

Coming in late on this, but I had a friend who heard the same thing in the mid-90s.  "Oh, you two career couples have it so easy."  Wait, you aren't promoting me because I have a husband??

So...
I've met and talked to Al Gore.  When he was the Veep.  At a kid's basketball game.
I ran a half marathon all up hill (4000 ft elevation gain) in 95F heat? 
I got to be on sea trials for a new aircraft carrier (spent the "high speed turns" test up on Admiral's bridge, and then flew off the thing in a military helicopter and into the Pentagon.
Got to fly in an A-4?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SunshineAZ on May 07, 2018, 11:22:11 AM
Brushed by hammerhead shark, but not bitten or rammed

I had a dolphin fin brush my ear (or possibly the wake from the fin) when I was doing a safety stop.  Three dolphins swam between me and another diver and neither of us saw them coming because we were looking at our dive computers.  LOL OOOPS!! 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sui generis on May 07, 2018, 12:24:23 PM
This *might* be something someone else on this forum has done, but I petted a Southern White Rhino. 

It was neither dead nor sedated, but I was on the other side of some really strong bars.  I was actually at a game auction house in South Africa where the group I was volunteering with was picking up a new Sable Antelope, and we had to drive about 13-14 hours round trip to pick him up.  I was wandering around the grounds and found the rhino.  I have no idea what his situation was - whether and to whom he had been auctioned.  The group I volunteered with started trying to build a rhino community on their reserve, but it appears it has been utterly unsuccessful.  Both of their rhinos were poached within a year or two :(
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: diapasoun on May 07, 2018, 04:24:27 PM
Hmm lived a supremely cautious, long, healthy and happy life without working too hard!

You wild, adventurous and industrious folk make for nice reading! But I think I’m not cut from the same cloth...

Has anyone else read catch-22 three times? :D

Shit, I've only read it twice, need to catch up. (I love that book.)

I too have led a rather cautious, boring life. However, I want to follow this thread and it feels weird not to contribute at all. Some paltry offerings:

1. I have read thousands of emails between traders related to the 2008 mortgage securities crisis. Yes. THOSE e-mails.

2. I have gotten drunk on top of a mausoleum, multiple times. It was a very comfortable place to sit, very pleasant for hanging out with a few friends late at night. Caution needed for jumping off the mausoleum while tipsy, though.

3. I had someone steal my turkey a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Not a frozen turkey. My live, squawking, asshole of a tom turkey.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Frugalroogal on June 26, 2018, 04:23:00 AM
Been a participant in a school camp that ended in rescue by a search and rescue helicopter and on the news.

The year 11 camp was the first time the school had tried a ‘survivor’ type camp to (presumably?) toughen us up for year 12, the last year of school. None of the students had any idea of the itinerary before we went, except that the camp went for three days. The students were broken into 3 groups, marched off on a 10km hike (each group in a different direction) through dense bush in a national park starting at 4pm. Our group arrived at our first destination around 10pm, set up camp and then cooked our own dinners before heading the bed around 11.30pm exhausted from a full day of school plus the hike.

We were woken up at 3am by the teachers (we didn’t know this was happening in advance), told to pack up camp and to get into a canoe and paddle to our next destination, set up camp again and go back to sleep. On this went for the three days. At the end of the three days we hiked back out of the national park to meet up with the other two groups.

One other group arrived and we waited and waited and waited for the third group. Eventually the decision was made by the teachers that we would have to leave without the other group. It turns out that they were horribly lost, had run out of food and water and were drinking water out of the marshes. One girl had collapsed from exhaustion and the students and teachers had rigged up a stretcher system for her from branches and towels and she was being carried around on that while they were trying to make their way out of the bush. Two students and a teacher were sent off to try and get help by getting to a place nearish enough to civilisation that the emergency mobile phone worked. That’s how they ended up ringing emergency services who sent a helicopter to find and pick the students and teachers up out of the bush. Not surprisingly this made the news on several channels.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ematicic on June 26, 2018, 07:08:28 AM
I have been started by a massive herd of goats in the mountains of Greece, not even sure which island, while changing out the igniter box of an AH-1W attack helicopter that broke down while doing flight ops from a ship in the Mediterranean.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Paradise on June 26, 2018, 09:53:14 AM
Got to say "Alex, make it a true Daily Double!" (Yep, another Jeopardy! MMMer, so this one might not be unique) so here's another:

I have a flower named for me.

Fun and fascinating thread to read...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: By the River on June 28, 2018, 02:56:41 PM
Since tonight will be the College World Series final, I'll give mine.   Was fan #7,000,000 to attend the CWS all-time.  They actually picked 7 fans coming into the stadium and let us and our groups sit in a suite with free food and soft drinks.  The suite shared a glass wall with the ESPN announcers' booth. 

(I guess I was 1 of 7 "seven millionth" fans)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sol on June 28, 2018, 05:04:43 PM
I stood on the highest point in North America last week.

It was cold. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: G-dog on June 28, 2018, 06:52:34 PM
I’ve ridden a llama - I was about 5 years old.

ETA:
I was bitten by a severed rat head.

Slapped an Olympic Gold medal wrestler.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Paul der Krake on June 28, 2018, 11:47:22 PM
I stood on the highest point in North America last week.

It was cold.
That explains the sig... now pics or didn't happen.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: rocketpj on June 30, 2018, 11:17:16 AM
Sailed in a 31' boat from Gibraltar to Martinique.  Best experience of my life aside from the birth of my kids.

Flew intercontinentally whilst heavily dosed with LSD - ending with walking through the arrivals gate in Paris in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.  This I do not recommend.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: G-dog on June 30, 2018, 11:23:35 AM
Sailed in a 31' boat from Gibraltar to Martinique.  Best experience of my life aside from the birth of my kids.

Flew intercontinentally whilst heavily dosed with LSD - ending with walking through the arrivals gate in Paris in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.  This I do not recommend.

So you recommend removing the boxers?  ;)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Paul der Krake on June 30, 2018, 11:50:38 AM
Sailed in a 31' boat from Gibraltar to Martinique.  Best experience of my life aside from the birth of my kids.

Flew intercontinentally whilst heavily dosed with LSD - ending with walking through the arrivals gate in Paris in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.  This I do not recommend.
Edibles before flights make for much more interesting backpocket magazine reading...
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MandalayVA on June 30, 2018, 11:55:01 AM
I smoked pot with Christopher Walken.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: G-dog on June 30, 2018, 12:04:42 PM
I smoked pot with Christopher Walken.

Whoa!

Tell us more!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Ladychips on June 30, 2018, 04:35:59 PM
I smoked pot with Christopher Walken.

Whoa!

Tell us more!

And if there were cow bells???
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: rocketpj on June 30, 2018, 10:12:55 PM
Sailed in a 31' boat from Gibraltar to Martinique.  Best experience of my life aside from the birth of my kids.

Flew intercontinentally whilst heavily dosed with LSD - ending with walking through the arrivals gate in Paris in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.  This I do not recommend.

So you recommend removing the boxers?  ;)

Well, there are always a lot of people waiting for their friends and family at an arrival gate.  So it was like a live action underwear dream.

Really every decision made after consuming the LSD was a bad one, getting on the plane being the very worst.  Thankfully it didn't end up badly.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: stoaX on July 02, 2018, 01:57:29 PM
I stood on the highest point in North America last week.

It was cold.

Wow - congratulations!  I've done the highest peak in the contiguous states, but not Denali.  Cold is temporary, pride is forever!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: MandalayVA on July 03, 2018, 01:36:05 AM
I smoked pot with Christopher Walken.

Whoa!

Tell us more!

And if there were cow bells???

No, no cowbells.  Back in the late eighties I had a friend who worked in the wardrobe department of the New York Shakespeare Festival.  Walken was doing Coriolanus and took a shine to her.  He got her number and was leaving messages on her answering machine, which she used to play for everyone.  One Saturday night I was visiting her and he called her and invited her to come over to his place to smoke pot (where his wife was, I have no idea).  She said that she had me over, and he said "you can bring her."  He had a VERY nice  apartment near Central Park.  He said hello to me--he never asked for my name--led us to the living room, and brought out the bong.  We got high, and he proceeded to hit heavily on my friend and completely ignored me.  I was high so I didn't care; I always carried a book in my bag then and just read.  Finally my friend managed to fob him off and we left.  As we did, he said to me "I like someone who can keep herself entertained." All righty then.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Mon€yp€nny on July 03, 2018, 04:30:19 AM
I accidentally tore a leg from a grasshopper (I don't kill spiders, I pick them up by one leg and put them outside. This doesn't work with a grasshopper, you'll grab his leg, he'll hop away from you, you'll still be holding that leg, oops).

I traveled solo as a woman in Europe, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt (only free time without the group), New Zealand and Australia.
Got lost in Cairo, alone, ended up in a neighborhood that very little tourists have seen. Went to look for crocodiles in the jungle in Mexico with a guide, I wanted to see a real one.

I have a rare condition HSD/ EDS, I can do tricks and put a dislocated joint back myself (most of them).
And I think I'm probably the only one that rolled back over a bit of a slope, to end up face down at the bottom of a ditch with stinging nettles and gooseberry branches, with a wheelchair on my back like I was some kind of turtle.

As to savings
- I ate wild mushrooms that grew in my front yard.
- I kept the salt from salty sticks (straight pretzels) that was left in the bag or bowl after finishing them. To use that salt in winter to defrost a path. Husband thought it was a tad too much.

There must be more but I can't think of it now
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: diapasoun on July 03, 2018, 11:13:29 AM
I know there's at least one other person on the forums with EDS (not sure which subtype, so there may be some distinction there!). Also, I hope your joints are holding up for you well. One of my closest friends has EDS and it's been very, very rough on her.

I love the pretzel salt defrosting scheme. It is probably a tad too much, but it's also one of those things that's just fun :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: markbike528CBX on July 03, 2018, 12:23:05 PM
I know there's at least one other person on the forums with EDS (not sure which subtype, so there may be some distinction there!). Also, I hope your joints are holding up for you well. One of my closest friends has EDS and it's been very, very rough on her.

I love the pretzel salt defrosting scheme. It is probably a tad too much, but it's also one of those things that's just fun :)

The highest value use for pretzel salt is as a for dip raw baby carrots. YMMV.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: politenessman on July 03, 2018, 06:16:46 PM
I've got a couple, some good and some bad.

I have declared bankruptcy on two different continents.

I was also one of only two men at a national girl scout meeting in the UK back in the 80s. The other chap was prince Edward; we had a good chat.

I have defended audio/PA equipment, with a microphone stand, when a drunken brawl erupted at a pub I was working at. (In my 20s/30s I had a side business in renting audio gear for bands and events)

As a young cadet, I was thrown out of a helicopter, into the sea, just to be winched back up again.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: thunderball on July 04, 2018, 07:04:43 AM

following
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: runbikerun on July 09, 2018, 08:55:33 AM
I drove my car to the track, ran a 10 second quarter mile, and drove home

There is a typo in here somewhere.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarStv on July 09, 2018, 09:30:47 AM
I drove my car to the track, ran a 10 second quarter mile, and drove home

There is a typo in here somewhere.

You don't run a 40 second mile?  Slowpoke.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Raymond Reddington on July 09, 2018, 10:27:34 AM
I have transported people by the thousands at a time, safely.

I have drawn a walk against a pitching machine (when I was 7).
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: runbikerun on July 09, 2018, 10:30:05 AM
I drove my car to the track, ran a 10 second quarter mile, and drove home

There is a typo in here somewhere.

You don't run a 40 second mile?  Slowpoke.

I'm stuck at fifty seconds, no matter how much I train!
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Paul der Krake on July 09, 2018, 03:36:01 PM
I have transported people by the thousands at a time, safely.
Yeah but did you lay the train tracks yourself?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Samuel on July 09, 2018, 04:20:34 PM
I've been photographed by the paparazzi in Rome.



Ok, technically I happened to be randomly walking behind their actual target but I tipsily found the pictures online later that same night and confirmed I was in a couple frames. Still counts.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Raymond Reddington on July 09, 2018, 04:33:52 PM
I have transported people by the thousands at a time, safely.
Yeah but did you lay the train tracks yourself?

I had a little bit of help :)
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: GuitarBrian on July 12, 2018, 10:17:30 PM
I'll bet no one has been to this island I just got back from...
Cagayancillo, Palawan, Philippines. I asked the mayor, how many tourists per year? And she said, 3 so far in 2018. And less than 10 in 2017. Hard to get to, need a good boat. In the middle of the Sulu Sea. The population is around 10,000.

I was hoping for good fishing and snorkeling.. and was disappointed. So, other than the Fort and Church, which was pretty cool, I can't recommend you go.


Much easier to get to and much better snorkeling/diving is Apo Island in Negros. I highly recommend Apo if you are traveling in the Philippines.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: talltexan on July 16, 2018, 09:36:51 AM
I celebrated the day I turned 10,000 days old.* Had a nice party with friends in Chicago, counted down to midnight (which was the beginning of my 10,000th day). Then--early the next morning--I hopped on a plane to Texas, where I celebrated with a different group of friends. One perfect day.

*This day happens in the second quarter of the year that you're age 27 years.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: ematicic on August 15, 2018, 10:50:21 AM
Caught a hummingbird. Little bugger got stuck in our garage yesterday. Despite the door being wide open he was so determined to go up, I realized he would never make it out after about an hour of trying to lure him towards the door. I had my wife ease him towards me with a broom and I was standing on my jeep trying to gently cup him in my hands, finally got him and set him free.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: wenchsenior on August 15, 2018, 11:18:57 AM
Caught a hummingbird. Little bugger got stuck in our garage yesterday. Despite the door being wide open he was so determined to go up, I realized he would never make it out after about an hour of trying to lure him towards the door. I had my wife ease him towards me with a broom and I was standing on my jeep trying to gently cup him in my hands, finally got him and set him free.

Phew, nice work!

I've handled hummers tons of times, but it is always a weird and wonderful sensation to hold one.  They have such miniscule feet!  They vibrate like joy buzzers!  We used to catch them (accidentally)  all the time while mist-netting for songbirds.  Often multiple males at a time b/c they are always fighting with each other and chasing each other.  The worst was when they would stick their super long tongues out and get them wrapped in the net....it was so stressful to make absolutely sure you could unwrap them and extract them from the net without hurting the tongue, wings, or eensy little legs. 

But DH just hand-captured one last month in a situation  similar to what you describe: it had gotten stuck inside a room and kept trying to fly out a closed window.

ETA: speaking of catching random birds stuck in buildings, DH and I and one of his students also just captured a burrowing owl that had gotten stuck inside a local car dealership for more than a week. It had apparently lived on cockroaches and maybe a mouse or two. It was a relief to the employees and us that we caught it within an hour of setting up, toted it to the rehabber for a check-up and a couple of robust meals of rodent, and then released it the following afternoon in suitable natural location.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: former player on August 15, 2018, 11:54:45 AM
Caught a hummingbird. Little bugger got stuck in our garage yesterday. Despite the door being wide open he was so determined to go up, I realized he would never make it out after about an hour of trying to lure him towards the door. I had my wife ease him towards me with a broom and I was standing on my jeep trying to gently cup him in my hands, finally got him and set him free.

I had a bat in the house this spring and had to do the same - apparently the echolocation wasn't up to finding the open window?
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Lulee on August 17, 2018, 09:03:18 PM
I've seen bats completely miss an open window but always assumed it was because they were young and frightened out of their fuzzy little minds.  You were MOST courageous to give it a hand out of the way.  Me, I crawl away, practically screaming, into the bathroom and wait until they've settled before I pop out and open a window and/or door for them.  Ended up starving one little idiot to death because I couldn't find him to get him out and he could never find the open window.

My great aunt saved a little hummingbird that somehow got his beak stuck in a screen.  She gently pushed his beak back out and he flew off.  Me, I've caught a couple of small wrens that have got into buildings and knocked themselves silly which make them easy to scoop up and take back outside.

I caught a minnow by hand once as a kid.  Mom took me and a neighbor kid riding our bikes and we stopped at a local pond to cool our feet off.  A school of minnows came up to feed on whatever was in the cloud of mud we stirred up so I reached down and caught one in my cupped hands to everyone's amazement.  But probably others here have hand caught fish before.

I had a bald eagle zip by my second story kitchen window in downtown Marlborough NH.  I almost stopped breathing when I realized what it was.  Houses in the neighborhood are almost all on little quarter acre lots so it's not where you'd expect to see one.  I always guessed it followed the Minnewawa Brook (yeah, that's really its name) looking for fish and followed a cluster of pigeons into the neighborhood to try to take one for a meal.

Eons ago in the late 60's, we saw elephants in a field in Vermont.  I was maybe 4 or so and we were travelling to Middlesex to see my sister and her kids.  Up what looked to me like the most ginormous hill ever was a big elephant and a smaller one.  There's a fuzzy photo Mom took after she made Dad stop the car.  No one ever believes us until we pull it out to show them.

Mostly I feel embarrassed by how much cool stuff people on this forum have done.  I guess I make wallflowers look like wild floozies in comparison.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Mezzie on August 18, 2018, 11:37:32 AM
Swam my way out of a construction site (under a gate through the mud) I'd been locked inside during a flood.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: sequoia on September 04, 2018, 10:45:51 PM
A very long time ago, I was working at research facility that raise thousands of fish in big tanks. To make long story short, one of my colleague miscalculate a medication for them, so he ended up killing these fish. We were knee deep inside these huge tanks, shoveling thousands of dead fish out of the tanks, in the middle of summer.   
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on September 05, 2018, 07:24:40 AM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Almost 17 years later, I have finally got over the trauma of this event to write about it on quora.

http://qr.ae/TUNgEH
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: By the River on September 05, 2018, 07:30:50 AM
A very long time ago, I was working at research facility that raise thousands of fish in big tanks. To make long story short, one of my colleague miscalculate a medication for them, so he ended up killing these fish. We were knee deep inside these huge tanks, shoveling thousands of dead fish out of the tanks, in the middle of summer.

Haven't done that but probably volunteered with the same smell.  Our local playground was flooded by several feet of water and lost electricity for weeks after Katrina.  The playground's walk-in freezer had just been loaded with all the food supplies for the upcoming football season (chicken nuggets, hamburger patties, french fries, etc.)  The park had a volunteer day weeks later and some of us were shoveling that assorted previously-frozen mess into dumpsters. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: G-dog on September 05, 2018, 08:10:38 AM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Almost 17 years later, I have finally got over the trauma of this event to write about it on quora.

http://qr.ae/TUNgEH

How did you get home? Via subway/train? I assume all of NYC was in chaos - but that is an assumption.
Just seeing it in TV was shocking (I was watching morning news when the story broke, saw the 2nd plane hit). I had to force myself to go to work instead of staying glued to the TV.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on September 05, 2018, 08:28:59 AM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Almost 17 years later, I have finally got over the trauma of this event to write about it on quora.

http://qr.ae/TUNgEH

How did you get home? Via subway/train? I assume all of NYC was in chaos - but that is an assumption.
Just seeing it in TV was shocking (I was watching morning news when the story broke, saw the 2nd plane hit). I had to force myself to go to work instead of staying glued to the TV.

Took the subway to midtown. Made sure the subway we took did not go under the WTC.

Then took the NJ transit back to Princeton Junction. We had to wait till about 3 until they finished inspecting the tunnels for any possible sabotage.

I was surprised by how quickly police, fire and other services reacted. They shut down Penn station and sent us to wait outside by about 11. Also, people were well behaved. I was a little worried that there might be violence, but the NYPD was great and kept law and order.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: SunshineAZ on September 05, 2018, 08:34:20 AM
Caught a hummingbird. Little bugger got stuck in our garage yesterday. Despite the door being wide open he was so determined to go up, I realized he would never make it out after about an hour of trying to lure him towards the door. I had my wife ease him towards me with a broom and I was standing on my jeep trying to gently cup him in my hands, finally got him and set him free.

They do hummingbird banding in my area and I used to volunteer, I got to catch, weigh and feed hummingbirds before releasing them.  It was a really cool thing to experience.  I also photograph hummingbirds as a hobby. 

For future reference:  If you get a hummingbird in your garage or house, the easiest way to get them out is turn off the lights, and place a hummingbird feeder near an open door or window.  They will get hungry, go to the feeder and then they can usually find their way out. 
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: diapasoun on September 05, 2018, 10:07:37 AM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Almost 17 years later, I have finally got over the trauma of this event to write about it on quora.

http://qr.ae/TUNgEH

That is very, very hard, CowboyAndIndian. So glad that you and yours were safe that day.
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: CowboyAndIndian on September 05, 2018, 06:06:16 PM
I was in the World Trade Center 10 minutes before the first plane hit.

I saw the second plane hit the south tower.

(9/11 in downtown New York City in case you wondered)

Almost 17 years later, I have finally got over the trauma of this event to write about it on quora.

http://qr.ae/TUNgEH

That is very, very hard, CowboyAndIndian. So glad that you and yours were safe that day.

Thank you
Title: Re: Tell us one thing you have done that no one else here has.
Post by: Blindsquirrel on September 05, 2018, 06:48:13 PM
 Not unique, but achieved the act of congress in Ohio Stadium. :)