Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
-- Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5
Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year
Monday, May 12, 2014
EYES CLOSED IN THE BACK SEAT
Question Of The Week 5-12-14
What is one
of the
scariest things
you have
ever done?
Our parents let my 16 year old brother drive us across Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, the world's highest suspension bridge.
i have been across this bridge as a child and although i have an issue with heights, it did not bother me. For me, both the most exhilarating and scary things was swimming far off the shore in VA Beach and find my self surrounded with porpoises. after some minutes, i became afraid that there might be a shark around (not rational, but very scary), i was in very deep water.
About the most harrowing thing I ever do is ride roller coasters at Six Flags or ride in the car when my brother in law is driving. :)
But the scariest thing I've probably ever done was stand at a fax machine and fax my offer/request to take an early retirement from my corporate job. It felt like teetering at the edge of a cliff.
The very thought of my brother doing such a thing makes my stomach drop! My brother, the world's worst driver, was afraid to go across any bridge, so he would simply close his eyes...and keep going.
I'm glad that you're keeping your question light... I mean undergoing medical procedures or being the victim of trauma can be scary experiences. I'll follow your lead and keep it light.
Riding s sadistic mule to the bottom of Grand Canyon. It loved to stop periodically, hang its head over the shear drop off spots and wiggle his butt. I don't do heights well.
I moved to live for several year on a tiny island in the South Pacific that had intermittent electricity and water and later brought back my infant daughter to raise for a few years. No real hospital either. BUT this is not a fair example, because I was too naive to be fearful.
I've said it one too many times and here's one more time: flying above Niagara Falls on a small plane driven by a 20-year old training pilot who stalled the plane in mid air so we free fell for a few seconds before he started it up again. My whole life flashed before my eyes and I was nauseous all the way down...but when we got off the plane, I have to admit it was cool. Crazy and stupid, but such a thrill.
Brite Mist Swimming in the ocean would be a frightening thing for me but I did love swimming in the lake. My fears in the lake were of Gar or snakes.
Lynn Roller coasters have never been a favorite thing of mine nor are ferris wheels. Tell me more about this retirement request.
Olga Hebert It was not until I met and married Ron that I was able to overcome my fear of heights, crossing bridges and riding with my brother. Thankfully I am now over those phobias that a single ride across Royal Gorge Bridge instilled in me years ago.
Changes in the wind That ride sounds terrifying and surely would have done in my already weakened heart.
gigihawaii Isn't it amazing that we still go through child birth again after the first time?
Nancy I know you were scared to death even with Roy at the helm. Ron did manage to drive me across the Coronado Bridge in California as he was helping me conquer my fear of bridges but I don't think even he could have taken me across the Royal Gorge Bridge without scaring me.
cube So many mountain roads did not have guard rails but did have sharp drop offs. What was that all about? Those type of drives are among my most harrowing experiences also and usually my brother was at the wheel for them too. You have my utmost sympathy and understanding.
Arkansas Patti My dear friends took their children on the mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I never understood the thrill of such a ride. What in the world were you doing putting that much trust in a mule?
kenju I am not believing what I just read. Are you kidding? And you would do it again? I knew you were bold but I never knew you were CRAZY!
Tabor First of all, what were you doing there in the first place and why would you go back with small children in tow? Second, I cannot remember any age in my life that I was not fearful, even when I was naive.
Scarlet When did you become “Scarlet” again? Did you beat the crap out of that pilot once the plane was safely landed? I would have.
Riot Kitty That love of a roller coaster ride was preparation for your current job:)
Aunt Betsy Oh dear, I had no idea when I told you to list fire as your fear that your mother had been badly burned in a fire and you had seen her suffering. That had to be absolutely horrible. I always contend that trauma is often wore for the observer than for the victim.
The first time I had to walk into a classroom and take a lesson when I was a student doing my teaching practice. It was an all boys, multi cultural school with a reputation for violence, and I was terrified.
Coming over a steep hill crest in an ol ranch pickup, when I couldn't see what kind of drop off was on the other side. Finally demanded that the Cowman let me out so I could walk it.
I think perhaps the scariest thing I had to do was take boatload of my island guests across to the mainland shortly after a cyclone had stranded them all on the island I was living on one Christmas. The sea was still angry and the clouds low and heavy. But I had to put and keep on a brave face; grit my teeth and go for it.
I wrote in length about that time in my blog - December before last, I think...and before that, too.
Yikes- What a question! So many things- Like being a passenger on 5 occasions When my mother was driving, n had accidents. One was a 5-car Tollbooth chain reaction, Think I was 10 yrs old. In the first hit station wagon, an elderly woman died. Then there was the time a boyfriend showed off by driving 140 mph on the highway to Hyannis, n got there from the bridge in less than 10 minutes. I thought I was going to die- but he did by himself, later.
Then there was the first Airplane ride...
Walking with a $400 camera on stepping stones over a rushing river to find Moose with my uncle. Was afraid I'd wreck the cam falling in- slippery sneakers.
Lots more too- guess danger is my 4th middle name...
Lisa Does that mean you had to climb back up and then climb down the correct side?
G.B. Miller That is something I have NEVER done and have no desire to ever do.
LL Cool Joe Did it turn out okay? I am guessing you were able to communicate well with the student.
Munir Your adventure sounds a bit more lovely than scary. Was there a fear of falling into the ocean?
Brighid Good for you! Oh I hate those kind of rides where you can't see the road.
Lee I am going to go find those posts. Why didn't you just keep them all on the Island until it was a better time to return to the mainland. Guess I will find out when I read. Once I was in a storm on the lake in a sail boat and that was only a brief ride but it terrified me.
Snaggle Tooth Those incidents had to have strong influences on you growing up. Perhaps reasons you are so strong. What are your other three middle names?
Taking a lead climbing course was the scariest thing I ever did. Specifically I had to let go of the wall and allow myself to fall a good many feet, trusting that the instructor would handle the rope correctly so that my harness would catch me. (It did.)
I think I got sick to my stomach on that space ride in the dark in Disneyland many moons ago. Or maybe it was that ferris wheel in Wisconsin that got stuck when we were at the top and I was about 6 months pregnant. Too much to choose from.
i have been across this bridge as a child and although i have an issue with heights, it did not bother me. For me, both the most exhilarating and scary things was swimming far off the shore in VA Beach and find my self surrounded with porpoises.
ReplyDeleteafter some minutes, i became afraid that there might be a shark around (not rational, but very scary), i was in very deep water.
About the most harrowing thing I ever do is ride roller coasters at Six Flags or ride in the car when my brother in law is driving. :)
ReplyDeleteBut the scariest thing I've probably ever done was stand at a fax machine and fax my offer/request to take an early retirement from my corporate job. It felt like teetering at the edge of a cliff.
The very thought of my brother doing such a thing makes my stomach drop! My brother, the world's worst driver, was afraid to go across any bridge, so he would simply close his eyes...and keep going.
ReplyDeleteRiding a bus down a mountain at night in Puerto Rico with a crazy driver that passed on solid yellow lines. Thought we would die.
ReplyDeleteChild birth.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
I have been driven across that Royal Gorge Bridge,too.
The only difference was that my driver was my husband who was a very experienced and careful driver.
And you know what? I WAS SCARED TO DEATH!
I'm glad that you're keeping your question light... I mean undergoing medical procedures or being the victim of trauma can be scary experiences. I'll follow your lead and keep it light.
ReplyDeleteDriving up the Mount Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire with my husband and two daughters is highly rated on my fear list.
It was 6,288 feet of no guard rails and sheer drops. My husband pretending he was driving our car off the cliff didn't help with my anxiety.
I've canoed in rivers with alligators swimming underneath us and have swum with shark... but I have never been as scared as on this mountain ride.
Riding s sadistic mule to the bottom of Grand Canyon. It loved to stop periodically, hang its head over the shear drop off spots and wiggle his butt. I don't do heights well.
ReplyDeleteZip lines in a Costa Rican rain forest, and I loved every minute of it. I was 63 at the time. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
ReplyDeleteI moved to live for several year on a tiny island in the South Pacific that had intermittent electricity and water and later brought back my infant daughter to raise for a few years. No real hospital either. BUT this is not a fair example, because I was too naive to be fearful.
ReplyDeleteI've said it one too many times and here's one more time: flying above Niagara Falls on a small plane driven by a 20-year old training pilot who stalled the plane in mid air so we free fell for a few seconds before he started it up again. My whole life flashed before my eyes and I was nauseous all the way down...but when we got off the plane, I have to admit it was cool. Crazy and stupid, but such a thrill.
ReplyDeleteProbably the first time I went on a roller coaster - but I loved it.
ReplyDeleteBrite Mist
ReplyDeleteSwimming in the ocean would be a frightening thing for me but I did love swimming in the lake. My fears in the lake were of Gar or snakes.
Lynn
Roller coasters have never been a favorite thing of mine nor are ferris wheels. Tell me more about this retirement request.
Olga Hebert
It was not until I met and married Ron that I was able to overcome my fear of heights, crossing bridges and riding with my brother. Thankfully I am now over those phobias that a single ride across Royal Gorge Bridge instilled in me years ago.
Changes in the wind
That ride sounds terrifying and surely would have done in my already weakened heart.
gigihawaii
Isn't it amazing that we still go through child birth again after the first time?
Nancy
I know you were scared to death even with Roy at the helm. Ron did manage to drive me across the Coronado Bridge in California as he was helping me conquer my fear of bridges but I don't think even he could have taken me across the Royal Gorge Bridge without scaring me.
cube
So many mountain roads did not have guard rails but did have sharp drop offs. What was that all about? Those type of drives are among my most harrowing experiences also and usually my brother was at the wheel for them too. You have my utmost sympathy and understanding.
Arkansas Patti
My dear friends took their children on the mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I never understood the thrill of such a ride. What in the world were you doing putting that much trust in a mule?
kenju
I am not believing what I just read. Are you kidding? And you would do it again? I knew you were bold but I never knew you were CRAZY!
Tabor
First of all, what were you doing there in the first place and why would you go back with small children in tow? Second, I cannot remember any age in my life that I was not fearful, even when I was naive.
Scarlet
When did you become “Scarlet” again? Did you beat the crap out of that pilot once the plane was safely landed? I would have.
Riot Kitty
That love of a roller coaster ride was preparation for your current job:)
Watching my mom suffer when she was badly burned when our house caught on fire when I was a child. Fire terrifies me.
ReplyDeleteAunt Betsy
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I had no idea when I told you to list fire as your fear that your mother had been badly burned in a fire and you had seen her suffering. That had to be absolutely horrible. I always contend that trauma is often wore for the observer than for the victim.
Getting lost and climbing down the wrong side of Stone Mountain.
ReplyDeleteDoing a rollercoaster from the first car.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I had to walk into a classroom and take a lesson when I was a student doing my teaching practice. It was an all boys, multi cultural school with a reputation for violence, and I was terrified.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been really scary.
ReplyDeleteI had climbed a mountain in England and that was next to an Ocean.
Coming over a steep hill crest in an ol ranch pickup, when I couldn't see what kind of drop off was on the other side. Finally demanded that the Cowman let me out so I could walk it.
ReplyDeleteI think perhaps the scariest thing I had to do was take boatload of my island guests across to the mainland shortly after a cyclone had stranded them all on the island I was living on one Christmas. The sea was still angry and the clouds low and heavy. But I had to put and keep on a brave face; grit my teeth and go for it.
ReplyDeleteI wrote in length about that time in my blog - December before last, I think...and before that, too.
Yikes- What a question!
ReplyDeleteSo many things- Like being a passenger on 5 occasions When my mother was driving, n had accidents. One was a 5-car Tollbooth chain reaction, Think I was 10 yrs old. In the first hit station wagon, an elderly woman died.
Then there was the time a boyfriend showed off by driving 140 mph on the highway to Hyannis, n got there from the bridge in less than 10 minutes. I thought I was going to die- but he did by himself, later.
Then there was the first Airplane ride...
Walking with a $400 camera on stepping stones over a rushing river to find Moose with my uncle. Was afraid I'd wreck the cam falling in- slippery sneakers.
Lots more too- guess danger is my 4th middle name...
Lisa
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean you had to climb back up and then climb down the correct side?
G.B. Miller
That is something I have NEVER done and have no desire to ever do.
LL Cool Joe
Did it turn out okay? I am guessing you were able to communicate well with the student.
Munir
Your adventure sounds a bit more lovely than scary. Was there a fear of falling into the ocean?
Brighid
Good for you! Oh I hate those kind of rides where you can't see the road.
Lee
I am going to go find those posts. Why didn't you just keep them all on the Island until it was a better time to return to the mainland. Guess I will find out when I read. Once I was in a storm on the lake in a sail boat and that was only a brief ride but it terrified me.
Snaggle Tooth
Those incidents had to have strong influences on you growing up. Perhaps reasons you are so strong.
What are your other three middle names?
Yes it did turn out okay, I'm not sure how good I would have been as a teacher because this experience put me off for life!
ReplyDeleteTaking a lead climbing course was the scariest thing I ever did. Specifically I had to let go of the wall and allow myself to fall a good many feet, trusting that the instructor would handle the rope correctly so that my harness would catch me. (It did.)
ReplyDeleteI think I got sick to my stomach on that space ride in the dark in Disneyland many moons ago. Or maybe it was that ferris wheel in Wisconsin that got stuck when we were at the top and I was about 6 months pregnant. Too much to choose from.
ReplyDelete