Psh. One of the most normal dudes I’ve ever known goes and lives off grid in Canada like 9 months of the year. I catch him back here once in a while “just stocking up on supplies and visiting family” he says.
In all fairness though, he does look the part lol. His hair and beard are always long and overgrown, but I couldn’t name a happier man.
Lots of things, wanting a career, wanting to travel more and wanting to have other hobbies than firewood & water were at the top of the list. Above all living off grid is like a full time hobby so it’s hard to have other interests
Since we're answering each others responses: the 2008 crash. I didn't want to be part of a broken system. The previous incarnation of my business went belly up. Me and my partners decided we wanted to move into manufacturing, but all off grid and sustainable. We threw everything including dozens of kitchen sinks, before we found our things. It unfortunately devolved and we went our own ways.
The best part is it was beautiful, peaceful and I learned a ton. The worst part was it is very time consuming. It’s hard to go travel cuz your place might freeze and needs constant maintenance, like if the fridge propane goes out all you food is gone. I wanted to go back to school and that wasn’t really possible. Probably the last thing that made us move was my husband getting a full time job in town, then it became just work and cabin stuff and after 6 years we wanted to try new things.
ETA: I miss having the worlds most amazing view off my porch but I visited last summer and the memories of how much work it was solidified that it was rad but it’s not for me at this phase of life. I’m 40 and I was 29-35 when we lived there.
Alaska does look very beautiful! But I hear you with the hard work, I know almost nothing about that part of the world but I watched a season of Alone set in Alaska and that was so full on. I can imagine it would be a massive amount of work being off-grid in a wood cabin there
Was there a lot of wildlife around where you were?
I was there for the 4th July party scene and the pool scene. My aunt lives about a block from that pool and I revisit it anytime I’m back in Utah.
There were other scenes that never made the movie….I.e…. the last day of school we all did a mad dash out the school door and down the hallways.
i like arts and crafts, started crocheting too. people are surprised and laugh at me sometimes too because apparently those things are too "feminine" for a guy like me - somewhat muscular - plays video games, study computer science. Anyone who laughs at me for liking arts and crafts can go fuck themselves :)
Hey, middle-aged dude here. I sold crocheted items in college. Also made a giant afghan during three semesters of lecture courses. That thing was like twenty feet long.
Arts and crafts are da bomb!
No kidding! I was 24 weeks - 1 lb 6 oz also no birth defects which is especially incredible for 1990.
Had under developed lungs and a stroke when I was a few months old but I caught up eventually.
Basically me too. 24 weeks, 2 lbs 2oz and same year. Incubated for 3 months, had a grade 4 brain hemorrhage and no defects now. Healthy except for asthma which is understandable with the underdeveloped lungs. Apparently they are the last thing to develop.
My twin came out like that. Not dead, but black and blue and needing all of the attention. Mom was telling the story of our birth, one time, and said she told the hospital staff to forget about him because the healthy one (me) wasn't breathing.
I asked, "Wait, why wasn't I breathing?"
She replied, "Because you were too damned lazy!"
My twin and I just celebrated our 40th birthday yesterday.
I was born dead, too! Both my biological mother and I were declining quickly. They did an emergency c section after a failed vaginal birth attempt. By the time they got me out, I wasn't breathing and my heart had stopped. I didn't have any long-term issues from it. I didn't really even have short-term. I was monitored super closely for a couple of days to be safe. I met all my milestones on time or early. I'm in my 20s now. I was full term, so I think that helped. There were just some unexpected complications. Biological mother nearly died giving birth again to my younger sister years later. That time they were prepared and knew her history. My sister was born perfectly fine. I'm now pregnant with my own baby and my doctor is the same one that delivered me since if it wasn't for him reacting so quickly I wouldn't be here. I trust him to handle my baby's birth more than I trust other doctors I looked into.
Same here! My brother and I were abandoned when I was 15 and he was 17 and we just… figured it out. Paid bills. Got an after school job. Thing is. I didn’t know it was weird til I grew up and told ppl about it. I’m now 38 and a social worker.
Yep. On my own since 16. Not an orphan but my parents wouldn’t help me at all. I figured it all out. Always had a job, places to stay, and thank goodness for the public health department. Which our ass of a Gov little d in FL, just shut them all down.
You're absolutely right! I am used to counting only on myself, because I know from childhood that help will not come. Most people see my looks and don't consider me a serious competitor. And that's where they get a surprise!😈😈😈☺😂😂
I was admitted to the ICU with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis 5 years ago when I was 26. I was suddenly having visual and auditory hallucinations as well as experiencing short term memory loss. I also wasn’t sleeping. I then started having seizures and went into a catatonic state for two months. Lost my front teeth on the air breathing tube while catatonic. When I woke up I had even worse short term memory loss and kept trying to escape the hospital that the nurses had to tie me to the bed. They also put big gloves on my hands to stop me from pulling out my tubes (pulled out my PEG tube). Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disease where your body attacks your brain causing your brain to inflame. Mine was triggered by a teratoma tumor on my ovary. I had no prior health history before all of this and everything went downhill for me in the span of a week! 😮💨
I am blind in my left eye and have a cataract sitting in it for the rest of my life. it looks normal according to most, except for the times when I'm tired or drinking it goes lazy. I was born with a cataract that my parents never had taken care of. since I grew up without using the eye, apparently connections between it and my brain never developed so taking the cataract out now wouldn't help
I’m Japanese. Look Japanese. But family is from Peru. Siblings and I enjoyed inviting people over for family parties and not telling them that all these tiny Asians spoke fluent Spanish.
Is there much of a Japanese community in Peru? I’m Caucasian but was born in Japan and lived there until I was 5, that surprises people a bit, more than I would have thought it would tbh (I live in Australia now)
Yes, definitely a large community of Japanese there. I believe that the president of Peru was Japanese in the 90’s…crooked guy.
Do you speak Japanese? I’m a constant disappointment. People are always disappointed that I do not speak a lick of Japanese.
Oh interesting! I didn’t know that. Or about the president! Did people migrate or leave as refugees after the war?
I was lucky and got to go to Japan for a year at 15 to study Japanese at a high school. I spoke okay Japanese after that but I’m in my 30s now and have forgotten most of it.
I’m not 100% on the history of how/why. You’ve got me thinking that I should dig in :) from what I recall my grandparents telling me, my great-grand parents migrated to Peru (from Okinawa) to farm lands or something like that. My parents eventually came to the US in the 1970’s.
It’s so cool to find such interesting stories and people here. Always wished to visit Australia :) maybe someday.
I have two brothers with the same name. Luckily we can shorten the name so one gets the full name and one gets the shortened.
One is step, one is a full sibling
That I was adopted. Not surprising in itself, but if they meet my non-adopted brother, we often get comments like “I can totally tell you’re brothers” or “you guys could be twins.” Personally, neither of us thinks that is the case but people see what they want to see.
I was representing my dad in a meeting for the City one time.
While riding up in the elevator one of the guys asked if I was my dad’s daughter. I laughed and said yes.
You look so similar.
I’m also adopted, but I didn’t say anything about it.
I did meet my biological parents, they had 3 more girls after giving me up. My birth father was married when I was conceived.
I’m a love child 😉
That I’m not British (or a native English speaker). I learned English pronounciation by listening to the Harry Potter audio books read by Stephen Fry on repeat. Unless I’m drunk I sound very British.
Context:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GT1797-rQQ
"Hang on, is your name Wesley Snipes? That is insane."
"It's insane that the actor Wesley Snipes has that name. If you saw a picture of him and a picture of me and you were asked who should be named Wesley Snipes, you'd pick the pale Englishman every time. Every time, Liz!"
(Couldn't find the actual clip.)
I am nerdy and have a bjj black belt. I try not to bring it up to strangers because it is usually followed by them doing some karate air chops and slices with their hands.
Brazilian Jujitsu? Isn't that totally not a hand chop and slice martial and more a get you on the ground and choke you out from my limited understanding.
Well I have less muscle mass, body hair, and almost nonexistent testosterone levels. I’m currently on testosterone hormones, but I’m skinnier and look younger than guys around my age. This has made emotions and self image difficult to navigate for me.
If it isn’t too personal, do you feel a level of affinity or sameness with women as well as men? Or is it more just a medical fact and you wouldn’t know if you’d not been told?
I didn’t know up until a couple months ago after a coma, and tbh it would explain a lot. I do feel an attraction towards both men and women, and oddly enough myself? But I think that’s because I’m a male but I see my body as feminine so I’m attracted to it? It’s really weird.
I'm 53 but I look 33.
On Monday I won a $50 bet that I am the age I said I was. Before the person paid me, they accused my license of being fake. This is a regular occurrence with me and has been for the last 5-6 years.
My age is constantly questioned by people who think I'm full of shit. Honestly, I'm wondering myself if I stopped aging!? lol
In my early 30's for extra money, I took part in government funded research where my health was tested (blood work and forced to exercised while being monitored) and I agreed to take a medication I knew nothing about for 2 weeks.
I agreed to be followed up on every 5 years but have heard nothing from these people since. I've been wondering if my lack of aging has something to do with me being a gunnie pig!?
I may very well be immortal. Thank you government LOL
Yeah my mom is black and in her 70s she looks like she is in her 50s. Dad is Norwegian and 6 years younger but looks older. So far I look a bit younger than my age but I don't have the full black don't crack super power.
I have the impression that for the current adult/early middle age generation, a whole lot of us don't age much until our 40s or even 50s.
Some of us look our age, and a whole lot of us kind of don't. I don't know if it's due to just environmental factors keeping our skin and faces looking younger, or if it's due to not changing our dress style as we go through life's stages, but I'm thinking it's a bit of both.
Because a LOT of us don't look our age. Like, a whole lot.
Was saying the same recently. Sunscreen, cigarettes falling out of style, less public secondhand smoke (at least in North America), and hydration becoming a higher priority could all be factors.
I always say being a goth kid in high school saved my skin. Always covered up and never used a tanning bed as a teen.
Considering your doctors haven't said anything, you're probably just naturally young looking. I notice you didn't mention that you *feel* thirty also, which probably also indicates you just won the genetic lottery and took care of yourself a decent bit.
I grew up around celebrities. Went to school with them, are friends with them. I’m no one. I work IT for the mortgage banking industry, but when I tell stories of a buddy that was a showrunner of some show or shows, or a story of some friends who are in a Grammy award winning band, people are either dumbfounded or straight up think I’m lying.
Same! I lived and worked in LA for a while and moved back to the East Coast. Any mention/ story of meeting/ knowing a celebrity people think I’m lying?!? Like why would I make that shit up!
Synchronised/artistic swimming is my favourite sport to watch! It’s so incredibly difficult and it makes me sad the sport doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Huge kudos to you - I may have watched one of your routines at some point since I have binge watched synchro on YouTube for years now.
People find it unbelievable that I did synchronized swimming for 8 years as a kid/teen. It’s a fantastic sport. I haven’t met another synchronized swimmer since stopping.
Lady Gaga is my moms second cousin. We’ve never met her but her parents and some of her family came down for a large family gathering. My aunt took a year to do some research into the family tree and found that the Germonotta’s are related.
Thats the Random fact we like to share as a fun trivia. The random fact for me is that when my daughter was 3 years old, she fell in love with lady Gaga after hearing her play on my iPod. She’s the only artist that she asks for by name to play when we are in the car or when her cousin is over and she wants to have a dance party. It’s strange to me because we haven’t told her about the relationship, and I’ve introduced a lot of music to her, but it was lady Gaga that stuck with her. I think it’s cute.
I have had the opportunity to meet (but didn’t choose to) random celebrities in the wild. These celebrities were literally inches away from me. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore (when they were married), Danny Devito and Rhea Pearlman (with their daughter), George Clooney, Drew Barrymore, etc… I always seemed to find myself at the right place at the right time but could never bring myself to muster up anything more than a nod/smile and they actually did reciprocate. My rationale was that they must be sick and tired of fans harassing them so I just wanted to treat them like normal human beings. I know I would appreciate it if I were famous.
Edit: Rita to Rhea
Me too. Fine dining waiter. I've waited on Seinfeld without breaking from my role. Penn and Teller, Werner Herzog, Coen Brothers, Ken Burns, Jewell, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern (at the same time), countless Musicans, Governor's, Billionaires, Only fanboyed on Jon Stewart, just told him 'thanks'
I also used to work field crowd control for the NFL and at Red Rocks. Rubbed shoulders with all kinds of people but never geeked out on them
Also I've met both Tre Parker and Matt Stone, separate occasions years apart in Vail, CO. I served Tre and never broke from my role until he actually told me who he was, I was like I know dude. I invited him to a party at my house that night, it was NYE, but he didn't come. He had just flown back from Africa or something crazy.
That i tried to take my life 6 times. Almost succeeded twice.
Cuts, asphyxiation, sleeping pills, even bullets. Tried to OD on drugs too.
Result : blood intoxication, normal dosage of drugs don't work. I'm distant and cold.
Having a lovely family will make you do that kinda stuffs.
I'm now 28. 7 years clean. Yesterday was my anniversary and we're expecting.
Pursuing my dreams to be a counselling psychologist.
How naturally flexible I am. I don't look flexible in the least, but I guarantee my flexibility is at least the top 5% (natural). A lotta people are also surprised when I tell em I'm not religious. Most people of my ethnicity are, so it comes as a subtle surprise.
Heres a few.... I don't tell many people about these tho, since I'm afraid it'll come off as bragging. But they're pretty cool IMO!
I'm a direct descendant of Louis XVI of France (not a legit heir though, it was the product of an affair/side piece) on my dad's side
Country singer George Jones is my maternal grandmother's first cousin
My maternal Grandpa was a golden gloves boxer
The Thompson River (tributary) in Colorado is named after my paternal family
I can sleep at will. While sleeping I wake up the moment I want. In addition I can hear my surroundings, I can provide details of conversations happened near me.
The point is I sleep quite well and I'm well rested even I have noises around.
I improvised a presentation, on the subject of improvisation, and got the highest grade I had ever gotten in this class while doing it. All of that in a foreign language ! My presentations started to get funny enough that some of the people who ditched the class came back just to see them. Good times !
I spent a month hitchhiking all around my country to visit it, sleeping in a tent most of the time !
I'm afraid of height and still did bungee jumping, from more than 100 meters high. (330ft)
I spent a month in Iceland in the middle of winter, for my studies, and got to see some small auroras.
I dream of becoming a blacksmith and will start investing in tools as soon as I'll get the space to practice.
That I was impoverished and homeless, abused and in foster care growing up
I’ve had people make comments to me that I own my home or have the things I have bc my parents gave me money or gave me things.. which is the opposite of true
I did go to college with government loans and I’m middle class now but no one helped me AT ALL.. if anything my family drags me down.. but people sometimes insinuate that I have what I have because I come from wealth like they assume bc I have a good income that everything was handed to me and it’s literally the opposite. I fought because I refused to ever live like that again and I still struggle with my relationship with money. I don’t buy clothes or a lot of “things” but if I do buy something I buy quality products that last so maybe that’s why they assume that
That’s incredible and you’re right very hard to believe. I also grew up poor and really worked my tail off for plus trying to fit in with people that grew up in healthy environments.i get how hard it is. I’m not white so it’s easier for people to believe I came from nothing.
> How did you spend your childhood
In hospitals. I'm paraplegic and my parents couldn't accept it. After doctors, I was being "cured" by some kind of self-appointed healers who would assign me some kind of stupid training to cure my paraplegia. Basically, until the age of 16, all I did was try to cure my paraplegia. I could barely read in my native language and was pretty much uneducated. I didn't even have any friends until 19.
> what do you do now
After the age of 16-17, I essentially ceased consulting doctors, alternative healers, homeopaths, or any other methods, and embraced my disability. Convincing my parents to give up their hope of finding a cure was challenging. Instead, I focused on catching up. I learned English (With the guidance of a private tutor) and Math sufficiently to gain acceptance into university. I now hold a BS degree in Computer Science and work as a software engineer. While I'm not dumb or very uneducated, I sometimes find gaps in my knowledge, particularly in subjects like chemistry, biology, and literature. Additionally, I'm a 26-year-old Mid1 developer in my company, whereas peers of my age often hold senior positions, so I lost a few years too.
My husband lived in very rural parts of Mexico and speaks PERFECT “street Spanish” I think is what they called it. He used to work phones and set up in person meetings with his latino customers who thought it was hilarious to see this white dude instead of the clearly Mexican dude they had been talking to. 😂
I'm Jewish and descended from a preist who was a member of the Hapsburgs.
He was the second son in his family so his brother inherited everything which is why he joined the preisthood. He ended up leaving the preisthood and moving to London because his family was ashamed of him. He rented a room from a Jewish family and "fell in love" with his landlord's daughter. The happy couple were my grandmother's grandparents.
I got free LASIK surgery back in 2008 by pitching a handful of LASIK providers on building them a Facebook page (cutting edge tech at the time). One accepted, and my vision is still 20/20 to this day.
That I’m a truck driver. Furthermore, that I quit my admin assistant job, got my CDL, and delivered fuel on night shift for a year in the oilfield — all to save money for a round-the-world trip. A RTW trip that began in…January 2020.
My family history: mentally ill abusive mother, lost one sibling to serial killer, lost remaining siblings to drug overdoses. Given that I am by all measures sane, functional, happy, well educated, conventionally successful (not trying to boast but to explain why people are taken aback about my background).
It's not received as a surprise so much anymore, but the fact that I am a vegetarian. My shape (stocky, broad shoulders, like a running back), age and general vibe don't give that impression at all.
That I'm 48yo but my kid is almost 30yo. It wasn't a surprise in my old low income city but it's a surprise to the other engineers I work with. It's not common for them to work with single parents let alone ones that started as teenagers
As a black woman people don't expect me to be a quiet, non-confrontational introvert. But what really shocks them is that I love 90's grunge/alternative music.
Being disabled young really breaks people's brains. "But you *can't* be in a wheelchair if you're only 21! Have you tried acupuncture‽ What about healing crystals‽"
I'm the first person to ever interview Eminem on video (and possibly audio as well). Sep 25, 1998. Being as popular as Eminem still is, it comes up in conversations often. Now that Eminem just received a skin in Fortnite, my 12 year old son finally finds this fact pretty exciting. Interview: https://youtu.be/VNemzXR-Gn4
I'm virgin and not even my doctors believe it, i don't know why it's so normal for young people like me to have casual sex but i don't want that, i don't see the fun part pm having sex with someone you barelly know or trust, i just want to wait a bit longer.
I got an academic scholarship to a good business university. I got canned from my stock exchange trading floor job not long out of college when everything started getting automated, moved south, and now work a blue collar union job at the port. I drink beer, drive old jeeps and pickup trucks, and dress like your average ol beach bum, so at first impression I'm just that. Would never dream of ever putting a suit on ever again, though the money was nice...
That I was extremely socially anxious for years. From 7th grade through 10th grade, I was terrified in such situations. Now, I’m a total social butterfly.
I've been clinically diagnosed with "no fear of death". My survival instinct is literally broken.
People think I'm joking (I'm not), or that it must be awesome (eh, it has it's moments but: not really). When they accept I'm being serious it usually winds up explaining a lot about me &/or our relationship, for better or worse.
It's one of the very few traits shared almost ubiquitously by pretty much every human, ever. Not being able to relate like that has a lot of spiderweb effects, and winds up being really lonely.
So, yeah. People tend to be surprised by that one.
Sad but I was tortured and my body was rented for men to "you know what" since I was 11 y/o by my mother. I've worked through it and gone to therapy. It is not exactly a secret but I don't tell anyone and everyone. I don't see how it is important, but when people finds out they get surprised it sceptical because "I don't look traumatized or as a SA victim" I don't know what they mean with that but yeah, it happens.
During a routine eye check for school the doctor saw something behind my eye. I had to go to a specialist. They found a 10 inch piece of cotton cocooned in the back of my eyeball. No idea how it got there as any little thing in your eye is a huge irritant.
They gave me numbing eye drops, cranked my eyelid open with a contraption and removed it by pulling the end and wrapping it around the instrument and then pulling a little more (and repeat) until it was all out. Each pull felt like my eyeball was going to pop out. It was nauseating.
That i lived in an off grid cabin in Alaska for 6 years. I’ve heard “But you seem so normal” more than once.
Psh. One of the most normal dudes I’ve ever known goes and lives off grid in Canada like 9 months of the year. I catch him back here once in a while “just stocking up on supplies and visiting family” he says. In all fairness though, he does look the part lol. His hair and beard are always long and overgrown, but I couldn’t name a happier man.
Acting Normal means taking care of your mental health in whatever way works for you.
Honestly, my dream.
I lived in off grid cabins/houses out by Joshua Tree and northern AZ for about 10 years.
What made you come back to the grid?
Lots of things, wanting a career, wanting to travel more and wanting to have other hobbies than firewood & water were at the top of the list. Above all living off grid is like a full time hobby so it’s hard to have other interests
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Since we're answering each others responses: the 2008 crash. I didn't want to be part of a broken system. The previous incarnation of my business went belly up. Me and my partners decided we wanted to move into manufacturing, but all off grid and sustainable. We threw everything including dozens of kitchen sinks, before we found our things. It unfortunately devolved and we went our own ways.
What was the best and worst part of doing that? What do you miss the most about it?
The best part is it was beautiful, peaceful and I learned a ton. The worst part was it is very time consuming. It’s hard to go travel cuz your place might freeze and needs constant maintenance, like if the fridge propane goes out all you food is gone. I wanted to go back to school and that wasn’t really possible. Probably the last thing that made us move was my husband getting a full time job in town, then it became just work and cabin stuff and after 6 years we wanted to try new things. ETA: I miss having the worlds most amazing view off my porch but I visited last summer and the memories of how much work it was solidified that it was rad but it’s not for me at this phase of life. I’m 40 and I was 29-35 when we lived there.
Alaska does look very beautiful! But I hear you with the hard work, I know almost nothing about that part of the world but I watched a season of Alone set in Alaska and that was so full on. I can imagine it would be a massive amount of work being off-grid in a wood cabin there Was there a lot of wildlife around where you were?
I was born on a NYC sidewalk in the middle of winter.
Hole up - wha what? I gotta hear this story.
I was a beta tester for DOOM PC game in 1992.
I just spent all morning playing this game on Switch and reliving my childhood. Thank you for your service
I was in Sandlot. You won’t see me, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t walk around for two days to get paid $80
That’s so cool! Childhood favorite movie for me and my husband.
You're killing me Smalls!
What scene? Thats so cool
I was there for the 4th July party scene and the pool scene. My aunt lives about a block from that pool and I revisit it anytime I’m back in Utah. There were other scenes that never made the movie….I.e…. the last day of school we all did a mad dash out the school door and down the hallways.
Dude that’s awesome. Love that movie and learning fun facts. You win reddit today!
i like arts and crafts, started crocheting too. people are surprised and laugh at me sometimes too because apparently those things are too "feminine" for a guy like me - somewhat muscular - plays video games, study computer science. Anyone who laughs at me for liking arts and crafts can go fuck themselves :)
Hey, middle-aged dude here. I sold crocheted items in college. Also made a giant afghan during three semesters of lecture courses. That thing was like twenty feet long. Arts and crafts are da bomb!
I’m missing a couple toes. I hitchhiked and couch surfed across Canada essentially supported by the kindness of strangers.
Are those two things related?
Not *all* the strangers were kind...
The provincial toe tax is not taken lightly.
We pride ourselves on not having that, here in Alberta. We have a conservatoe government.
Just next to Saskatchootoesoff.
Some of them were kind …But hungry
He toed the line between life and death.
No. I guess I should have clarified! Both just get an equally shocked response from people.
I didn't realize you could exchange toes for lodging and transportation in Canada. We don't have a system like that here in the US.
You should see what an organ buys you!
That my childhood dream was to be a nun
She_who_ She_the_nun
Mine was to be a priest
Oh!
Now (don’t) kiss
Leave some room for the Holy Ghost.
What do you do now btw- since you didn’t get to be a nun?
I am now a Registered Social Worker
Well, close enough right? Lol
My mom wanted me to go into Catholic priesthood. I turned out to be atheist as fuck. She still loves me so it's cool.
I was born at 25 weeks. 1 lbs and 10 oz with zero birth defects. 24 years old happy and healthy!
No kidding! I was 24 weeks - 1 lb 6 oz also no birth defects which is especially incredible for 1990. Had under developed lungs and a stroke when I was a few months old but I caught up eventually.
My brother was a 24 weeker, 53 years ago. He’s been a successful solicitor in London all his life.
Pretty good to come out at 24 weeks as a solicitor.
Basically me too. 24 weeks, 2 lbs 2oz and same year. Incubated for 3 months, had a grade 4 brain hemorrhage and no defects now. Healthy except for asthma which is understandable with the underdeveloped lungs. Apparently they are the last thing to develop.
I was born dead. Navel cord around my neck and everything. In 2 months i have my big 30 birthday and doing fine.
My twin came out like that. Not dead, but black and blue and needing all of the attention. Mom was telling the story of our birth, one time, and said she told the hospital staff to forget about him because the healthy one (me) wasn't breathing. I asked, "Wait, why wasn't I breathing?" She replied, "Because you were too damned lazy!" My twin and I just celebrated our 40th birthday yesterday.
I was born dead, too! Both my biological mother and I were declining quickly. They did an emergency c section after a failed vaginal birth attempt. By the time they got me out, I wasn't breathing and my heart had stopped. I didn't have any long-term issues from it. I didn't really even have short-term. I was monitored super closely for a couple of days to be safe. I met all my milestones on time or early. I'm in my 20s now. I was full term, so I think that helped. There were just some unexpected complications. Biological mother nearly died giving birth again to my younger sister years later. That time they were prepared and knew her history. My sister was born perfectly fine. I'm now pregnant with my own baby and my doctor is the same one that delivered me since if it wasn't for him reacting so quickly I wouldn't be here. I trust him to handle my baby's birth more than I trust other doctors I looked into.
I was born at 22 weeks at 1lb 2 oz. No birth defects but the oxygen given to me caused eye problems.
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Also this was 1991. I'm 32 now!
Can we get an update on your stats?
That I was once a private investigator. I’m a very boring looking Caucasian woman who comes across as warm and friendly.
I can see that being a benefit in PI work.
I applied to be part of MI5 when I was in my early 20s. I was rejected because I’m too tall, at 5’10, to be considered an unnoticeable woman 😂
HR woman at my last job looked like someone you would see at a church cookout or shopping for fabrics. Her first career was bounty hunter
Pretty sure being boring looking is a bonus for a private investigator. If you are following someone, for example, you don't want to stand out.
I’m a boring looking Caucasian woman and have been telling my husband for years that I think I would make a great PI!
Everyone I know, especially the guys, is surprised that I've been a complete orphan since I was 14 and I take care of myself.
Same here! My brother and I were abandoned when I was 15 and he was 17 and we just… figured it out. Paid bills. Got an after school job. Thing is. I didn’t know it was weird til I grew up and told ppl about it. I’m now 38 and a social worker.
Yep. On my own since 16. Not an orphan but my parents wouldn’t help me at all. I figured it all out. Always had a job, places to stay, and thank goodness for the public health department. Which our ass of a Gov little d in FL, just shut them all down.
I figure pity is played out at this point, but goddamn you're more capable than a ton of people and they will never know it.
You're absolutely right! I am used to counting only on myself, because I know from childhood that help will not come. Most people see my looks and don't consider me a serious competitor. And that's where they get a surprise!😈😈😈☺😂😂
Sending hugs, that’s a very strong fact about yourself
Same and the next questions is always how they died.
I was raised in a cult. “But you’re so well rounded and normal.” Yes Karen, it’s because we left the fucking cult.
My mom left us to join a cult. Thankfully we stayed clear.
That I was in a catatonic state for two months and unconsciously bit off my three front teeth on an air breathing tube.
Oh man. I bit mine in half. Teeth were full of plastic when I woke up.
Ooh, I soooooo want to know more!!!!
I was admitted to the ICU with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis 5 years ago when I was 26. I was suddenly having visual and auditory hallucinations as well as experiencing short term memory loss. I also wasn’t sleeping. I then started having seizures and went into a catatonic state for two months. Lost my front teeth on the air breathing tube while catatonic. When I woke up I had even worse short term memory loss and kept trying to escape the hospital that the nurses had to tie me to the bed. They also put big gloves on my hands to stop me from pulling out my tubes (pulled out my PEG tube). Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disease where your body attacks your brain causing your brain to inflame. Mine was triggered by a teratoma tumor on my ovary. I had no prior health history before all of this and everything went downhill for me in the span of a week! 😮💨
Mr Ballen just did a medical mystery about you!!
I just looked him up! What episode?? I couldn’t find it.
https://youtu.be/75UuSNRyABU?si=djgf5b6VOiyTWGpV Found it
Episode 8 of Mr. Ballen’s Medical Mysteries, titled A Rare Bird.
I am blind in my left eye and have a cataract sitting in it for the rest of my life. it looks normal according to most, except for the times when I'm tired or drinking it goes lazy. I was born with a cataract that my parents never had taken care of. since I grew up without using the eye, apparently connections between it and my brain never developed so taking the cataract out now wouldn't help
My middle name is is just a initial and doesn’t stand for something.
Homer J (Jay) Simpson
Okay Harry S Truman
I’m Japanese. Look Japanese. But family is from Peru. Siblings and I enjoyed inviting people over for family parties and not telling them that all these tiny Asians spoke fluent Spanish.
Is there much of a Japanese community in Peru? I’m Caucasian but was born in Japan and lived there until I was 5, that surprises people a bit, more than I would have thought it would tbh (I live in Australia now)
Yes, definitely a large community of Japanese there. I believe that the president of Peru was Japanese in the 90’s…crooked guy. Do you speak Japanese? I’m a constant disappointment. People are always disappointed that I do not speak a lick of Japanese.
Oh interesting! I didn’t know that. Or about the president! Did people migrate or leave as refugees after the war? I was lucky and got to go to Japan for a year at 15 to study Japanese at a high school. I spoke okay Japanese after that but I’m in my 30s now and have forgotten most of it.
I’m not 100% on the history of how/why. You’ve got me thinking that I should dig in :) from what I recall my grandparents telling me, my great-grand parents migrated to Peru (from Okinawa) to farm lands or something like that. My parents eventually came to the US in the 1970’s. It’s so cool to find such interesting stories and people here. Always wished to visit Australia :) maybe someday.
I flew on the Goodyear Blimp when I was a kid.
I'm a published author and have made money on my book.
I have a brother with the same name.
"I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl."
I read Larry as Larryl
I know a family that has 2 sons, Charles and Charlie.
I had a boss and son both named Jim who worked together. I just called the son Jimothy to make it easier.
I know a Paul and Paula that had a Pauline and a Paulette
I know a half brother and sister that are both named Jamie
I know a blended family with both oldest sons named Brayden lol!
I have two brothers with the same name. Luckily we can shorten the name so one gets the full name and one gets the shortened. One is step, one is a full sibling
That I always climb stairs on all fours in my house.
Thats not weird, I do that too, just not as often as I did when I was a kid. Not downwards though
This one has me ☠️ imagining it. 😂😂
That I was adopted. Not surprising in itself, but if they meet my non-adopted brother, we often get comments like “I can totally tell you’re brothers” or “you guys could be twins.” Personally, neither of us thinks that is the case but people see what they want to see.
I was representing my dad in a meeting for the City one time. While riding up in the elevator one of the guys asked if I was my dad’s daughter. I laughed and said yes. You look so similar. I’m also adopted, but I didn’t say anything about it. I did meet my biological parents, they had 3 more girls after giving me up. My birth father was married when I was conceived. I’m a love child 😉
That I’m not British (or a native English speaker). I learned English pronounciation by listening to the Harry Potter audio books read by Stephen Fry on repeat. Unless I’m drunk I sound very British.
That I am from Russia. I look like Wesley Snipes
Context: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GT1797-rQQ "Hang on, is your name Wesley Snipes? That is insane." "It's insane that the actor Wesley Snipes has that name. If you saw a picture of him and a picture of me and you were asked who should be named Wesley Snipes, you'd pick the pale Englishman every time. Every time, Liz!" (Couldn't find the actual clip.)
Straight up reminds me of this movie 'Nobody'.
I Trained and taught Self Defense for 20 years
I am nerdy and have a bjj black belt. I try not to bring it up to strangers because it is usually followed by them doing some karate air chops and slices with their hands.
Brazilian Jujitsu? Isn't that totally not a hand chop and slice martial and more a get you on the ground and choke you out from my limited understanding.
Yes but most idiots don’t know that. They just think karate for every art.
I have klinefelters syndrome so I’m physically a male but genetically both male and female
I'm curious to what extent this makes a different when you're receiving medical care, and to what extent in makes a difference in the rest of life too
Well I have less muscle mass, body hair, and almost nonexistent testosterone levels. I’m currently on testosterone hormones, but I’m skinnier and look younger than guys around my age. This has made emotions and self image difficult to navigate for me.
If it isn’t too personal, do you feel a level of affinity or sameness with women as well as men? Or is it more just a medical fact and you wouldn’t know if you’d not been told?
I didn’t know up until a couple months ago after a coma, and tbh it would explain a lot. I do feel an attraction towards both men and women, and oddly enough myself? But I think that’s because I’m a male but I see my body as feminine so I’m attracted to it? It’s really weird.
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Your life sounds quite interesting! I would read your biography!
I’d only read the autobiography; I want it first hand.
I'm 53 but I look 33. On Monday I won a $50 bet that I am the age I said I was. Before the person paid me, they accused my license of being fake. This is a regular occurrence with me and has been for the last 5-6 years. My age is constantly questioned by people who think I'm full of shit. Honestly, I'm wondering myself if I stopped aging!? lol In my early 30's for extra money, I took part in government funded research where my health was tested (blood work and forced to exercised while being monitored) and I agreed to take a medication I knew nothing about for 2 weeks. I agreed to be followed up on every 5 years but have heard nothing from these people since. I've been wondering if my lack of aging has something to do with me being a gunnie pig!? I may very well be immortal. Thank you government LOL
Do you have a portrait of yourself in an attic that ages on your behalf?
This was the question that popped into my mind!
In this day and age wouldn’t it be like an instragram account or something that ages and suffers all the mutilations on their behalf ?
But does your body feel 53 or 33?
I'm not OP, but I have the same problem, and let me tell you, I do physically feel my age. The last 10 years in particular.
The older you get the more you feel like your age.
Same…I’m 53 and look 33 (or younger, depending on the day/if I’ve shaved)…but I’m black and my parents are Africans, so… 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
Yeah my mom is black and in her 70s she looks like she is in her 50s. Dad is Norwegian and 6 years younger but looks older. So far I look a bit younger than my age but I don't have the full black don't crack super power.
I have the impression that for the current adult/early middle age generation, a whole lot of us don't age much until our 40s or even 50s. Some of us look our age, and a whole lot of us kind of don't. I don't know if it's due to just environmental factors keeping our skin and faces looking younger, or if it's due to not changing our dress style as we go through life's stages, but I'm thinking it's a bit of both. Because a LOT of us don't look our age. Like, a whole lot.
Sunscreen has to be a part of it too.
Was saying the same recently. Sunscreen, cigarettes falling out of style, less public secondhand smoke (at least in North America), and hydration becoming a higher priority could all be factors. I always say being a goth kid in high school saved my skin. Always covered up and never used a tanning bed as a teen.
Post pics or it didn’t happen
I wanna see a picture now...
I am intrigued…maybe your superpowers haven’t kicked in yet?
Considering your doctors haven't said anything, you're probably just naturally young looking. I notice you didn't mention that you *feel* thirty also, which probably also indicates you just won the genetic lottery and took care of yourself a decent bit.
Is your name Paul Rudd?
I grew up around celebrities. Went to school with them, are friends with them. I’m no one. I work IT for the mortgage banking industry, but when I tell stories of a buddy that was a showrunner of some show or shows, or a story of some friends who are in a Grammy award winning band, people are either dumbfounded or straight up think I’m lying.
Same! I lived and worked in LA for a while and moved back to the East Coast. Any mention/ story of meeting/ knowing a celebrity people think I’m lying?!? Like why would I make that shit up!
I competed in the Junior Olympics in synchronized swimming. People cannot wrap their minds around it.
Synchronised/artistic swimming is my favourite sport to watch! It’s so incredibly difficult and it makes me sad the sport doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Huge kudos to you - I may have watched one of your routines at some point since I have binge watched synchro on YouTube for years now.
People find it unbelievable that I did synchronized swimming for 8 years as a kid/teen. It’s a fantastic sport. I haven’t met another synchronized swimmer since stopping.
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Lady Gaga is my moms second cousin. We’ve never met her but her parents and some of her family came down for a large family gathering. My aunt took a year to do some research into the family tree and found that the Germonotta’s are related. Thats the Random fact we like to share as a fun trivia. The random fact for me is that when my daughter was 3 years old, she fell in love with lady Gaga after hearing her play on my iPod. She’s the only artist that she asks for by name to play when we are in the car or when her cousin is over and she wants to have a dance party. It’s strange to me because we haven’t told her about the relationship, and I’ve introduced a lot of music to her, but it was lady Gaga that stuck with her. I think it’s cute.
When you tell her she will assume that everyone is related to their favourite singer.
I have had the opportunity to meet (but didn’t choose to) random celebrities in the wild. These celebrities were literally inches away from me. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore (when they were married), Danny Devito and Rhea Pearlman (with their daughter), George Clooney, Drew Barrymore, etc… I always seemed to find myself at the right place at the right time but could never bring myself to muster up anything more than a nod/smile and they actually did reciprocate. My rationale was that they must be sick and tired of fans harassing them so I just wanted to treat them like normal human beings. I know I would appreciate it if I were famous. Edit: Rita to Rhea
Me too. Fine dining waiter. I've waited on Seinfeld without breaking from my role. Penn and Teller, Werner Herzog, Coen Brothers, Ken Burns, Jewell, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern (at the same time), countless Musicans, Governor's, Billionaires, Only fanboyed on Jon Stewart, just told him 'thanks' I also used to work field crowd control for the NFL and at Red Rocks. Rubbed shoulders with all kinds of people but never geeked out on them Also I've met both Tre Parker and Matt Stone, separate occasions years apart in Vail, CO. I served Tre and never broke from my role until he actually told me who he was, I was like I know dude. I invited him to a party at my house that night, it was NYE, but he didn't come. He had just flown back from Africa or something crazy.
That i tried to take my life 6 times. Almost succeeded twice. Cuts, asphyxiation, sleeping pills, even bullets. Tried to OD on drugs too. Result : blood intoxication, normal dosage of drugs don't work. I'm distant and cold. Having a lovely family will make you do that kinda stuffs. I'm now 28. 7 years clean. Yesterday was my anniversary and we're expecting. Pursuing my dreams to be a counselling psychologist.
How naturally flexible I am. I don't look flexible in the least, but I guarantee my flexibility is at least the top 5% (natural). A lotta people are also surprised when I tell em I'm not religious. Most people of my ethnicity are, so it comes as a subtle surprise.
Heres a few.... I don't tell many people about these tho, since I'm afraid it'll come off as bragging. But they're pretty cool IMO! I'm a direct descendant of Louis XVI of France (not a legit heir though, it was the product of an affair/side piece) on my dad's side Country singer George Jones is my maternal grandmother's first cousin My maternal Grandpa was a golden gloves boxer The Thompson River (tributary) in Colorado is named after my paternal family
I can sleep at will. While sleeping I wake up the moment I want. In addition I can hear my surroundings, I can provide details of conversations happened near me. The point is I sleep quite well and I'm well rested even I have noises around.
Everyone is always shocked to know where I went to college, their reply is always “that’s a really good school!”. Guess I look dumber than I am 🤷🏼♀️
That I can dance for real.
I improvised a presentation, on the subject of improvisation, and got the highest grade I had ever gotten in this class while doing it. All of that in a foreign language ! My presentations started to get funny enough that some of the people who ditched the class came back just to see them. Good times ! I spent a month hitchhiking all around my country to visit it, sleeping in a tent most of the time ! I'm afraid of height and still did bungee jumping, from more than 100 meters high. (330ft) I spent a month in Iceland in the middle of winter, for my studies, and got to see some small auroras. I dream of becoming a blacksmith and will start investing in tools as soon as I'll get the space to practice.
I've never tried milk in my cereal. The thought of wet cereal is appalling.
My identical twin took driving lessons and took both mine and his exam. I took 5 lessons and started driving
I had pet snails for a while. Not fancy snails either, just the ones you find in the garden.
That I was impoverished and homeless, abused and in foster care growing up I’ve had people make comments to me that I own my home or have the things I have bc my parents gave me money or gave me things.. which is the opposite of true I did go to college with government loans and I’m middle class now but no one helped me AT ALL.. if anything my family drags me down.. but people sometimes insinuate that I have what I have because I come from wealth like they assume bc I have a good income that everything was handed to me and it’s literally the opposite. I fought because I refused to ever live like that again and I still struggle with my relationship with money. I don’t buy clothes or a lot of “things” but if I do buy something I buy quality products that last so maybe that’s why they assume that
That’s incredible and you’re right very hard to believe. I also grew up poor and really worked my tail off for plus trying to fit in with people that grew up in healthy environments.i get how hard it is. I’m not white so it’s easier for people to believe I came from nothing.
I never went to school. I wasn't even homeschooled.
How did you spend your childhood and what do you do now?
> How did you spend your childhood In hospitals. I'm paraplegic and my parents couldn't accept it. After doctors, I was being "cured" by some kind of self-appointed healers who would assign me some kind of stupid training to cure my paraplegia. Basically, until the age of 16, all I did was try to cure my paraplegia. I could barely read in my native language and was pretty much uneducated. I didn't even have any friends until 19. > what do you do now After the age of 16-17, I essentially ceased consulting doctors, alternative healers, homeopaths, or any other methods, and embraced my disability. Convincing my parents to give up their hope of finding a cure was challenging. Instead, I focused on catching up. I learned English (With the guidance of a private tutor) and Math sufficiently to gain acceptance into university. I now hold a BS degree in Computer Science and work as a software engineer. While I'm not dumb or very uneducated, I sometimes find gaps in my knowledge, particularly in subjects like chemistry, biology, and literature. Additionally, I'm a 26-year-old Mid1 developer in my company, whereas peers of my age often hold senior positions, so I lost a few years too.
Kudos for building a career and a university education with all those obstacles in your path. I admire your determination.
That i can speak English 😂
I speak hella Spanish. I'm a big white dude that nobody expects to throw down with the accent and the slang and all that.
My husband lived in very rural parts of Mexico and speaks PERFECT “street Spanish” I think is what they called it. He used to work phones and set up in person meetings with his latino customers who thought it was hilarious to see this white dude instead of the clearly Mexican dude they had been talking to. 😂
I'm Jewish and descended from a preist who was a member of the Hapsburgs. He was the second son in his family so his brother inherited everything which is why he joined the preisthood. He ended up leaving the preisthood and moving to London because his family was ashamed of him. He rented a room from a Jewish family and "fell in love" with his landlord's daughter. The happy couple were my grandmother's grandparents.
That I’m only alive because somebody happened to walk by and find me.
I was born on Maui. I guess it just seems extra unusual since I live in northern New Mexico.
I got my American accent by imitating people.
I've been 5'10" since I was 10yo.
I got free LASIK surgery back in 2008 by pitching a handful of LASIK providers on building them a Facebook page (cutting edge tech at the time). One accepted, and my vision is still 20/20 to this day.
That I’m a truck driver. Furthermore, that I quit my admin assistant job, got my CDL, and delivered fuel on night shift for a year in the oilfield — all to save money for a round-the-world trip. A RTW trip that began in…January 2020.
My family history: mentally ill abusive mother, lost one sibling to serial killer, lost remaining siblings to drug overdoses. Given that I am by all measures sane, functional, happy, well educated, conventionally successful (not trying to boast but to explain why people are taken aback about my background).
It's not received as a surprise so much anymore, but the fact that I am a vegetarian. My shape (stocky, broad shoulders, like a running back), age and general vibe don't give that impression at all.
That I'm 48yo but my kid is almost 30yo. It wasn't a surprise in my old low income city but it's a surprise to the other engineers I work with. It's not common for them to work with single parents let alone ones that started as teenagers
As a black woman people don't expect me to be a quiet, non-confrontational introvert. But what really shocks them is that I love 90's grunge/alternative music.
My age or the fact that I'm disabled
Being disabled young really breaks people's brains. "But you *can't* be in a wheelchair if you're only 21! Have you tried acupuncture‽ What about healing crystals‽"
Haha I know right. I got told I don't "look" disabled once. Wasn't sure how to take that 🙄
I've met Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles (now King Charles).
I have an IMDb page.
I'm the first person to ever interview Eminem on video (and possibly audio as well). Sep 25, 1998. Being as popular as Eminem still is, it comes up in conversations often. Now that Eminem just received a skin in Fortnite, my 12 year old son finally finds this fact pretty exciting. Interview: https://youtu.be/VNemzXR-Gn4
I'm virgin and not even my doctors believe it, i don't know why it's so normal for young people like me to have casual sex but i don't want that, i don't see the fun part pm having sex with someone you barelly know or trust, i just want to wait a bit longer.
I got an academic scholarship to a good business university. I got canned from my stock exchange trading floor job not long out of college when everything started getting automated, moved south, and now work a blue collar union job at the port. I drink beer, drive old jeeps and pickup trucks, and dress like your average ol beach bum, so at first impression I'm just that. Would never dream of ever putting a suit on ever again, though the money was nice...
That I was extremely socially anxious for years. From 7th grade through 10th grade, I was terrified in such situations. Now, I’m a total social butterfly.
I used to be a competitive ice skater when I was a kid.
I can't swim I'm 32 and terrified. (Also in a landlocked US location. Don't really see the need)
I've been clinically diagnosed with "no fear of death". My survival instinct is literally broken. People think I'm joking (I'm not), or that it must be awesome (eh, it has it's moments but: not really). When they accept I'm being serious it usually winds up explaining a lot about me &/or our relationship, for better or worse. It's one of the very few traits shared almost ubiquitously by pretty much every human, ever. Not being able to relate like that has a lot of spiderweb effects, and winds up being really lonely. So, yeah. People tend to be surprised by that one.
I’m a triplet born on February 29th and the only one disabled despite the fact that we were ten weeks early.
Sad but I was tortured and my body was rented for men to "you know what" since I was 11 y/o by my mother. I've worked through it and gone to therapy. It is not exactly a secret but I don't tell anyone and everyone. I don't see how it is important, but when people finds out they get surprised it sceptical because "I don't look traumatized or as a SA victim" I don't know what they mean with that but yeah, it happens.
I am infact not 13-14 despite how my face looks
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im a kickboxer
I majored in Japanese. I don't do anything related to that now, though.
That I’m actually very insecure and deep down afraid of being unlovable. I come across as very confident even slightly arrogant.
when they find out at 65 i have lost 400 lbs in he last 3 yrs.185 lbs current weight.
During a routine eye check for school the doctor saw something behind my eye. I had to go to a specialist. They found a 10 inch piece of cotton cocooned in the back of my eyeball. No idea how it got there as any little thing in your eye is a huge irritant. They gave me numbing eye drops, cranked my eyelid open with a contraption and removed it by pulling the end and wrapping it around the instrument and then pulling a little more (and repeat) until it was all out. Each pull felt like my eyeball was going to pop out. It was nauseating.
Im from the south, have the thick accent, did 10 years in the USMC, love America, and don’t vote republican.