Tell us something surprising about yourself (Miami, financial, Texas, races)

[geekigurl]

Originally Posted by natalie469

Nicotine is a horrible addiction. I quit in 2005 and never looked backed. It wasn't easy though. Nicotine is out of your system within 3 days. It's your mindset that needs to be changed. You can do it though and the freedom from it is worth it.

It really is. I hate it. I've heard that it leaves the body after three days before. After that it's a mental game. Thank you, Natalie.

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by ditchlights

LOL! Yeah, I could never be that direct. Just not in my nature.

Growing up though I had a buddy that was absolutely direct like that. He was shameless and didn't care. His get slapped to laid ratio was around 4:1 and considering he wasn't really anything to look at, we found his success rate to be pretty darn good.

In college, one of my fraternity brothers had a friend from high school (who was attending a different university) where the same was true of that high school friend of his except that guy boiled it down even more....to two words....”Wanna ____” .

[crone]

Originally Posted by geekigurl

I was a speed demon too. Which is why they don't let me drive anymore. I play NASCAR racing games now.

Horses are beautiful animals. I loved JJ, my Quarter horse. I rode him just about every day after school.

I would love to quit smoking, I've tried so many times. I hate smoking.

You can do it. It will not be easy.

DH quit with acupuncture. They put a gold staple in his ear. He never wanted another cigarette.
I continued for another year before finally stopping. The first week was a problem. Every time I wanted a cigarette , a walk around the block or a bike ride got my mind off it. But the after dinner or leaving a movie wanting a cigarette lasted a year or so. These days at 5 bucks a pack, I’m to cheap to indulge.

You can do it.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by swagger

Here's a thread where we can relax a little and talk to our fellow humans, instead of bickering with our political rivals.

Quite a lot of us have been here for some time. But what do we really know about each other? Sure, we have our opinions and perceptions of individuals on here, but every one of them is wrong. This is an opportunity to correct the record of your C-D persona a little bit, if you'd like.

The idea is to tell everyone something about yourself that they wouldn't have guessed, based on the discussions you enter and positions you take in them. I think that most of us stick to discussing certain topics, and leave others alone, for lots of valid reasons, but it does leave a hole in other peoples' perceptions of the people we are.

I figure that most people here have me pegged as hard right, or maybe center-right, if they're conservative or more moderate themselves, because of the topics I'll discuss and the hardness of my stance in them.

But I don't think that anyone here knows that I'm kind of a bird guy. Owned parrot(s) my entire life and have always been amazed with the grace and intelligence of almost all birds. I volunteered for a while with an organization which electronically tracked the handful of California Condors remaining in the wild at the time. I pleaded with hunters in California - and took a lot of heat for it - to use lead free ammunition when hunting.

Most people aren't who they portray themselves as (or are perceived to be) online. Throw us a bone. Who are you, really?

ETA - Oh, I couldn't leave this out, once I remembered it just now. My first voter registration was with the Green party.

Great idea for a thread! Your kind of a bird person (I like birds a lot too, I feed the wild ones.) and love dogs and most animals, but mostly a cat person.
My first voter registration was as a Republican and I was a Republican for decades.
Definitely more moderate to Liberal nowadays.

Originally Posted by ditchlights

My wife died last year from kidney failure. I'm finding that the dating scene is a whole lot different than it was 18-20 years ago!

I am so sorry for your loss.

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

I’m really good at scrabble and gin rummy; I always lose at Monopoly.

I’ve been to all 50 states and 15 countries.

I like cats.

I love all kinds of music, from classical to pop to country to jazz...everything except rap.

I like cats a little bit too!
I usually win at Monopoly, usually lose at Scrabble. But I like both.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

I hate Harry Potter books. I can't relate to any of it.

I always agree so much with so many of your posts, we are like minded politically. But,

I love the Harry Potter books, which for someone of my age is probably a little unique.

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I'm a Dark Shadows geek (except for the 2012 Johnny Depp movie), and have attended a half dozen of the Dark Shadows conventions over the past 20-ish years. I own the entire series on DVD, collect the novels that were written in the 60s and 70s, and have been corresponding with two women since 1968 - we were girls then! - when we became "pen pals" through an ad in 16 Magazine.

I'm so sorry. And yes, I agree about the dating scene - scary weird. Or weirdly scary.

I Loved Dark Shadows growing up. I remember rushing home from school to watch it every day!

Originally Posted by retiredcop111

I work out 6 days a week,,,,I have lung damage from 9/11,,,I have several people I know that died of 9/11 related cancer,,I spent a lifetime of helping people of all political backgrounds,races, and gender.

Thank you so much for your service and sacrifice.

Originally Posted by ClaraC

What a fun thread! Thanks!

I like to rehab baby possums. This time of year, or a little earlier in the spring, if you see a dead possum on the road the chances are high little babies are either in the pouch, or running around on the side of the road.

Unlike other mammals, baby possums have to be tube fed because in the mom's pouch they actually swallow her teat as a tube. So you have to get a syringe and surgical tubing, and mammal baby formula. You have to measure the length of tube from the possum's mouth to their belly, and mark the tube with a sharpie, and work the tube down in the belly to feed it each time making sure you don't aspirate the formula into the lungs.

I haven't found any littles for the last couple years.

I love baby possums, OMG they are so cute. I feed several possums every night.

I have driven over 2M miles with an accident or ticket.
I once got a personal letter from Queen Noor of Jordan.
I was once picked out of the water by a helicopter.
I have been struck by lightening.

I get emails from this Nigerian Prince all the time!
Struck by lightening and picked out of the water by a helicopter, WOW...you have had an adventurous life!

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by janelle144

I broke my ankle two days before my wedding.

My hubby hates Medicare, he saw how it screws up the medical system. He was their administrator.

That would be terrible to sprain your ankle right before walking down the Aisle. Glad that it didn't stop the wedding.
I will be eligible for Medicare in a couple years, I don't know squat about it to be honest.
I hope it is okay.

Originally Posted by godofthunder9010

I've almost died 5 times.

Does that count?

Glad you are still around.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by greywar

Ive mentioned it in a topic, but I doubt most saw.
2 years ago I was misdiagnosed with diverticulitis. When I woke up from a emergency surgery I learned that it was Colon cancer, and the tumor was the size of a fist. But pretty good odds of it being survivable. another surgery to install a port, and 12 rounds of brutal folfox chemotherapy later it looked like I had made it.

6 months ago we were discussing removing the port, but I said Id wait a bit more. Also my CEA numbers had bumped a bit. Still under what was considered cancer. 2 months later and they were higher. So..Colonoscopy, and a CT scan. Both clear. 1 month ago CEA has jumped more, So I get a PET scan.

That finds it. In my liver. My cancer has metastatized into my liver. its Stage IV cancer. 30% survival estimate from my Oncologist. Initially they schedule Chemotherapy to start, but the local Cancer board decides that the best method is surgery first. So they ordered a 3 phase CT scan, and then a MRI (that was a odd experience. I could feel it...inside sorta.

Anyways in a little under 8 hours I will start a 4 hour surgery to remove a few sections of my liver. Its the first step. then 4 days in the hospital, and then back home for 3 weeks of recovery.

Once I am recovered it will look like I will get 6 more rounds of Folfox Chemotherapy.

Fun fact-a small % of people will go bald for this one, it is fairly rare. My past experience says I will get to rock the bald look again.

Eventually one of you will get the actual last word with me on here, but 30% says it wont be for a long while. Best of luck!

Big hugs and Prayers for you Greywar, you can beat this.

Originally Posted by Aussiehoff
This feels like a safe space. Somewhere I can share a dark secret about myself that I would never share in real life.

I like filling in forms.

Feels good to get that off my chest.

LOL. I won't tell.

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

Greywar, you are one of my favorite posters here. Please know that you are in my prayers.

Other than the sad news from greywar and ditchlights (so very sorry about your wife), this is a pretty cool thread. Nice to see people as something besides opponents!

I once spent four months camped out alone in the high Colorado mountains. My sole companion was my amazing camping cat - "Traveler." I got really scared sometimes and really lonely sometimes but Traveler always saw me through whatever it was. I also got really happy sometimes when I looked around at the meadows full of wildflowers and the clear mountain creek I was camped next to and all the beautiful peaks that make up the San Juan Mountains. "Mine, all mine," I'd think. "How lucky am I to have found this beautiful place and I don't have to share it with anyone except my cat!"

When I was 21, I once voted for a Republican.

It has been an eye opening thread. Colorado is really beautiful, if you had someone to share it with, glad it was a cat!

Originally Posted by gmagoo

I know more about Colonel Potter than Harry.

I loved MASH Too.

Originally Posted by victimofGM

Served 8 years in the US Navy and was in Desert Storm and married before finding out I had Aspergers, PTSD, and depression at the age of 42. Am 52 now, still married, and still employed full time for the past 21 years at the same company. Wife is unemployed due to health issues with her spine and arthritis. By 2007 she’s already had 3 spinal surgeries and by 50 had had both knees replaced. Tuesday we find out if she’s going to need another spinal surgery, this time on her neck. Her spine is held together by screws and rods. As children we were both poor. We received commodities boxes in the early to mid70s.

Hugs and Prayers. Hope the health issues work out.

Originally Posted by victimofGM

My time in the Navy allowed me to visit Spain, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, Italy, Malta, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, & Dubai. I saw a boy begged with his tongue cut out by his own family to make him a better beggar. I saw a young man in a wheelchair with legs like knobby tree roots because he stole food as a child and the police were angry he ran from them so they max sure he never ran again. I saw young people living in sewers come out at night to sell their bodies for money to buy food. I saw an old man try to sell a young girl he claimed was his daughter. I saw a young man ignorant of Islamic culture innocently start a riot by giving away his boxed lunch to a poor person who looked like he was starving (the lunch had an apple, juice, potato chips, and a ham and cheese sandwich). I saw men openly trying to buy women to own.

OMG, that is horrible. Hugs.

Originally Posted by FatBob96

YOU CAN DO IT!!

I never thought that I would quit smoking until I had to for my own health.

Adult onset asthma scared me into it and one day I just threw my pack of cigs out the window and pulled into a CVS and bought some nicotine patches.

Called my wife and told her we were quitting today. (She had been wanting to also but we were both putting it off).

A week later I had one drag off a cig and choked on it.

That was 2007.

I haven't had a cigarette since.

Congrats!( I have adult onset asthma, and I can't even get near people smoking or it makes me feel like I will die.)

[WannaliveinGreenville]

When I was 10 years, I had an old heater plugged in the wall, that had a 220 circuit. I tried so hard to pull that plug out of the wall but I was having a hard time, I got it half way out and wrapped my little fingers around the 220 prong and it knocked me to the couch! It felt like vibration and hot fire! I am surprised it did not kill me. You would think I would know better, my dad was an electrician!

[chief scum]

When I was 19, a week after my dad died I was at a party out in the sticks in a high area, with a big bon fire. There were a lot of bikers there and I was waiting to get a beer out of the keg and the guy standing beside me reaches around and punches the guy in front of him in the face. He turns around and grabs me, he was 4 years older than me, but I pinned him on the ground and was telling him I didn't punch him. He started pulling my hair and I broke free and walked away not looking back.

Then from behind he shoved me right into one of the Harley's and it got knocked over. I got up pretty quick and he was already getting pummeled by the bikers, I heard they beat him with a rope with big knots tied in it. I made my way over by the fire and stood there talking to another biker, who told me to just be cool and I stood there and talked to him for awhile and then moved on.

I am thankful I was kept safe, because I could have went from standing waiting to get a beer to having one altercation after another. And being blamed for two things I had nothing to do with. The guy that shoved me ended up at the hospital. I did find the guy who I was standing next to in line and gave him a piece of my mind.

[BigCityDreamer]

I used to play lead guitar in a rock band for many years in school and thereafter. Then, we became mostly white collar workers. I still do music as a hobby.

And I consider myself to be something of an expert on political topics.