Name Five Things You've Done That Others Probably Have Not

[Hellefire]

Hm.


I saw Star Wars 26 times in the theater, but that's been overused and someone beat me anyway.

I did the Polar Bear Jump in January, 1989, in my hometown of Seward, AK. It was about -40 with wind chill. That year Polar Bear jump was on Hard Copy, with about a second and a half of me being shown.

I hitchhiked from Anchorage, AK to Reno, NV.
I hitchhiked from Poznan, Poland to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and back (also to the Baltic Sea and back and to Prague and back).

I have been within 10 feet of bears several times in my life; haven't been attacked yet, but I think it's been pretty close.

I met Jamie Farr (at college - USC in LA).

After I found out Gary Gygax was on this board, I emailed him from Poland, and the day after I got back to the U.S. we had breakfast. And he invited me to come back and game with him.

I ran the Bloomsday race in Spokane, WA and the MT. Marathon race in Seward, AK.

I got drunk with Junior Seau at his birthday party in the dorms (again, college at 'SC).

Alicia Silverstone smiled at me, walking through a mall in L.A. (admittedly the UCLA side of town).

Got married at Midnight, Jan 1, 2000 in the very sub-zero temperatures in the park in downtown Anchorage, AK (the New Years fireworks froze that year), came home with bride, friend who married us, and witnesses, and we role-played.

All I can think of at the moment. Most things I think of as interesting but not amazing when they happen to me. Except breakfast with G.G. I've never met a personal hero before that I had idolized for over a quarter century.

Aaron Blair
Foren Star

 

[CarlZog]

That's interesting. I have a friend from undergrad who, last I heard, was sailing with the Bounty.

The Bounty just finished filiming Pirates of the Caribbean II in St. Vincent. I believe they'll be heading to the Great Lakes for the summer.

BU did a summer course on HMS Rose my freshman year, two weeks learning to sail and studying maritime history that I took. Among the most fun I have ever had. We sailed from Boston up to Nova Scotia (didn't make it much past Lunenburg due to poor weather and time constraints)

Small world. Tim Walker, the professor, is a good friend of mine. I was supposed to join you on that trip, but had to cancel due to other work commitments. (As I recall you had to do a lot of motoring through calm fog on the way back.) He and I spent a lot of time working on an idea for a permanent institute in the Charlestown Navy Yard that could offer programs like that to students at all the area colleges.

Tim's now teaching at UMass Dartmouth, but still conducts those summer classes for BU -- though obviously not on the Rose anymore. (She was bought by a movie studio and starred as the HMS Surprise in Master and Commander; now on display in San Diego.)

This summer, Tim's program is on the Lettie G. Howard, a historic fishing schooner based out of South Street Seaport in New York. For more details on the class, "MET HI 235/HI 702 Maritime History of New England": http://www.bu.edu/summer/courses/history.html

Carl

 

[CarlZog]

I did the Polar Bear Jump in January, 1989, in my hometown of Seward, AK. It was about -40 with wind chill.

You're my hero. I grew up in Florida; didn't see snow 'til I was 32, and am now struggling through the winters to make a home in New England.

Carl

 

[Rystil Arden]

It isn't. At least, not anymore. Depending on where you are and when you take the test, the variable changes. And I know it changes signifigantly by state. For example: On the PSAT, I scored a 218, which was in the top .5% of the nation. BUT it was 2 points lower than I needed to be a National Merit Semi-Finalist. However, had I lived in Missouri, I would have only needed a 162 to qualify for Semi. They judge percentage across the nation, but it's the average of the state that counts in the end.

The SATs are slightly different. Your score isn't fixed depending on how many right or wrong answers you have (unless you get a 1600). The entire test is scored on a bell curve so that the majority of the people end up having scores in the 1000s, whereas a decreasing percentage have scores above and below. I.E. If you score a 1400 one day, and take it again; Even if you answer the same number of questions correctly, you're not guarenteed to have the same score. It all depends on how the other people do.

I know. I did NMS and got the money and such with a 236. And actually, sometimes you can get 1600 and have some wrong on the verbal, as I know some other people who did that,

 

[AIM-54]

Small world. Tim Walker, the professor, is a good friend of mine. I was supposed to join you on that trip, but had to cancel due to other work commitments. (As I recall you had to do a lot of motoring through calm fog on the way back.) He and I spent a lot of time working on an idea for a permanent institute in the Charlestown Navy Yard that could offer programs like that to students at all the area colleges.

Tim's now teaching at UMass Dartmouth, but still conducts those summer classes for BU -- though obviously not on the Rose anymore. (She was bought by a movie studio and starred as the HMS Surprise in Master and Commander; now on display in San Diego.)

This summer, Tim's program is on the Lettie G. Howard, a historic fishing schooner based out of South Street Seaport in New York. For more details on the class, "MET HI 235/HI 702 Maritime History of New England": http://www.bu.edu/summer/courses/history.html

Carl

Huh. Small world, indeed. I'm just glad I took it when it didn't have the New England moniker. I'm much more interested in international maritime history, which was covered when I took it. I got to write about fun things like the Royal Navy.

 

[CarlZog]

Huh. Small world, indeed. I'm just glad I took it when it didn't have the New England moniker. I'm much more interested in international maritime history, which was covered when I took it. I got to write about fun things like the Royal Navy.

He's actually doing two sessions this summer. One's the New England focus and one's the broader Atlantic survey.

Carl

 

[Uzumaki]

1) Been in a movie with Samuel Jackson
2) Made it to 21 with my virginity intact
3) Witnessed a robbery in a store
4) Proposed to a TV actress in person
5) Had a gun pointed at my head

 

[Desdichado]

2) Made it to 21 with my virginity intact

Surely that can't be odd in a crowd of gamers...

I made it to 22, actually. 'til I got married.

 

[LightPhoenix]

You're my hero. I grew up in Florida; didn't see snow 'til I was 32, and am now struggling through the winters to make a home in New England.

Heh, I was born in the heart of winter. Still amused by people who haven't ever seen snow. Yet I want to go someplace that rarely gets it, and I have never skied, snowboarded, or any other winter sport besides sledding and ice skating.

I'd like to add as #7 that I've been told I'm pretty hot by numerous women. Told that I'm an incredible kisser by numerous women (hint, play brass instruments for ten years, stengthens the lip muscles), told that I'm good... in places Eric's grandma won't let me talk about... by every woman I've been with. Completely struck out at the bar tonight, due to my own lack of confidence. Bah.

 

[devilbat]

1) Skied my first mountain at five years old
2) Threw a no hitter in little league.
3) Had non "Eric's grandma friendly" relations with a non attendee, attractive member of the opposite sex at Gen Con.
4) Offered full ride hockey scholarship an d didn't take it (stupid,stupid)
5) Married Satan (the first time around)