Two more truths and one more lie, that didn’t make the cut
Since three of my original list of ten facts, one lie haven’t had any love, I can’t announce a winner yet (so you might still have a chance). But here’s a bonus selection. After I compiled my list of possibly interesting truths, I found there were 12. So two of them didn’t make the cut.
I emailed my BFF, who isn’t on Steemit, and asked which two were least interesting / uncommon. She picked this one.
I still have all four wisdom teeth
When I was about 18, my dentist told me that my wisdom teeth were all growing in sideways, and they would cause problems if they didn’t come out. I didn’t have any money, so I metaphorically stuck my fingers in my ears and went “La La La”.
Over 40 years later, I still have them all, and haven’t noticed any problems.
The other one she thought might be a bit too common was…
I’ve bungy jumped
After having a bit of a conversation with @rebeccabe, I’m now thinking the entire story behind this might be of interest to one or two of you.
So, back in the 90s, I did quite a few personal development courses in the Turning Point series (a bit like Landmark Forum.) These are directly responsible for two of my other true stories, which you’ll get to hear later in the week.
One was a week long residential course called Breakthrough. One of the things we had to do was get up and go for a run every morning, which was not something I was accustomed to, and the hill work never got easier! Then shower, then meditation, and finally we could eat breakfast! But I digress…
On this particular day, we were taken in buses to an adventure / assault course type place. I can’t remember everything we had to do, but I distinctly remember some. The first for my group involved clambering up a climbing wall on the side of a tower. Then flinging ourselves off the top onto a pile of padded mattressy type things. I didn’t have enough upper body strength to pull myself all the way up and eventually they just dragged me up by the harness.
But I still had to get down. Even though, as long as my technique was correct, I wasn’t going to be hurt, I couldn’t fling myself off. I went into utter panic mode and started screaming. After I wore myself out screaming, I just had to do it, as we were out of time and were going to be penalised if I didn’t.
Everything else was easy after that. Abseiling was up next. Pfft, simple, I’m wearing a harness, aren’t I? No problems.
The last activity for our group involved walking along a tightrope thing, holding onto ropes each side. We then got onto a narrow walkway, where the staff harnessed us up and told us to bungy off. Again, there was no other way down. But at least it was feet first. So I just shuffled forward bit by bit and eventually stepped off. I didn’t like it, and felt a bit sick, but it was done. I would tick it off my bucket list, except it was never on it.
If you had visions of me diving head first over a river, sorry to disappoint. That ain’t ever going to happen!
I walked on hot coals
This is a complete lie, and I might have used this as my lie if I’d remembered earlier.
This happened towards the end of Breakthrough. Nearly everybody else did it. I think only one other person didn’t and she had done it another time.
I knew I didn’t have the right mindset for it that night. Shaking and crying with terror are kind of the antithesis of commitment, focus and confidence. But although I knew I’d made the right decision for me, it still felt pretty bad when everybody else was walking on air from having done it. That is, apart from those who did it and did actually burn their feet. They weren’t walking at all…
Thanks for reading
Images from Pixabay.
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Ouch! I don't think I'll ever try walking on coals. I am not a fan of pain, especially if I can control it!
The theory is that if you walk briskly and confidently, focusing 100% on your support person at the far end, that you won't burn your feet and there won't be any pain. But having a lack of focus and confidence, as I did, I knew there would be pain and I'm a big wuss!
Oh, I'd be the same way. I'm too practical; I'd know it would hurt!
Walking on hot coals would definitely not be my thing to do. And bungy jumping is not anywhere my bucket list...
Although I beat myself up a bit for being too big a sook to try the fire walk, and told myself maybe I'd do it another time, I really wasn't fooling myself. I knew there wouldn't be another time. And I'm no adrenaline junkie, there will be no further bungying either.
Good plan.
I couldn't bungee jump even if I wanted to (which I don't), as I have two titanium knees, and hitting the bottom of that fall and being jerked up again by the bungee cord would probably pull them right out of my shins. No one wants that. My brother did it once, and he said he enjoyed it, but that once was enough. :)
I also still have all four of my wisdom teeth. My jaw wasn't large enough for them to come in....most dentists I've been to have commented on how small my jaw is (and I also apparently have unusually small ears and fingers, and the smallest cervix at least three fertility docs have ever seen on an adult human woman....I just tell people I'm descended from fairies on my mother's side now...we're Scottish on that side, you know). Three of the four wisdom teeth came in properly, but never broke the gum line. One came in sideways, and is under the gum that way. I've seen them on x-rays. An oral surgeon once told me to leave them alone unless they were bothering me, because surgery to remove them would be a pain in the ass, as the two on top have roots that go into my sinus cavity. I've left them alone, and they've never bothered me. Since they're all below the gumline, they can't get cavities, either. They're protected.
When they came in, they pushed the rest of my teeth forward and all out of place. Braces didn't fix it to any appreciable degree. So, I had most of my teeth ground down to little nubs and crowned. It made them sparkling white, perfectly straight, and even got rid of the overbite. A much nicer solution than having the wisdom teeth removed. :)
Has anyone challenged you to the 10 truths one lie yet? Your stories are always WAY more out there than anybody else's. Or maybe everybody thinks other people are more interesting than they are. I still remember the day, when we were just Steemit newbies, that @sift666 said "I just saw this post by a woman who....!" I can't remember what it was, but your stories were so fascinating that we had to follow you.
Haha! Thanks, @kiwideb. I've enjoyed your posts and @sift666's from the beginning, also.
No one has challenged me to the truth/lie thing yet. I played it in person once, years ago, during new teacher training (for the two years I taught public school). I had the whole room stumped with my lie. No one guessed it. I was the last one standing, and had to reveal it to them myself. It's a fun game. :)
I think I would be shaking and crying with terror if I thought I had to do that too. I believe in a lot of things but I couldn't convince myself to do it. No way!
I think there's a group mentality thing that goes on, a kind of artificial high, and people do it because everybody else is. A friend who did an earlier course told me later that she wished she hadn't done it, and admired that I said No. That made me feel a bit better. And from a distance, without the Rah Rah, most people would sensibly say No way.
Yeah, I can understand that buzz. Sometimes it is braver to say no!
Much as I would like to claim bravery, it was some combination of my reasoning brain going "no, really, this is not a goer" and my reptile brain backing off in abject terror!
Your 'they weren't walking at all' comment got me giggling uncontrollably!!!
You did way more than I would have - but I actually liked abseiling.... when I was 12 lol
I think if the abseiling had been up first, I would have been more nervous, but it seemed quite easy and fun in comparison. At 12, I would have been way less daring than I was later.
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