Ten things I've done that I don't think anyone reading this has

Yes, it's a Livejournal meme.

1. I've climbed down the outside of a hotel from the sixth storey(1)

2. Hit a legal winning tennis shot that went no more than 10 cm height from the ground and no more than 1 m travel after bouncing twice (2)

3. Eaten raw Warthog meat (3)

4. Brought into Australia a package for my father when I was seven and waved it around in the airport, not realising it was a marijuana blend (4)

5. Juggled two balls while playing the marseilleise on my trumpet (5)

6. Accidentally said something in French instead of Japanese (6)

7. Hypnotised my wife to take her shopping for a ring, ao that I could surprise her with it for Valentines day, but still know that it fit (7)

8. Write my diary entries on the web log, because that is where it is most safe from my better half's prying eyes (8)

9. Had four children, trying to get the right sex (gender) and succeeding in girl, boy, girl, boy sequence (9)

10. Graduated in University as an engineer but decided to work in my parents business instead (10)


(1) Yup, had to bring that one up again.

(2) This one is only possible when a ball lands on my side of the court but due to spin or wind goes back over the net - you are then allowed to lean your racket over the net as long as you don't hit the net. It helps if the umpire also knows the rules.

(3) I was about four years old, and hungry as usual - a nearby adult yelled out that it was raw. I thought that raw must have meant yummy and ate a few more mouthfuls before he managed to get the bone off me.

(4) Me and my brother (9 at the time) came to Australia unaccompanied from Italy. My father told me to bring his packet of snuff or whatever it was - so when we arrived I showed him that I remembered it.

(5)At a french/german camp. The idea was to perform something french, so I learned to play the french national anthem by ear.

(6) That's what happens with languages learnt later in life - I never confuse either with Italian or english!

(7) I can't prove that she's not just pretending not to remember, but I swear she has no idea how I managed to get a ring she liked in exactly the right size.

(8) There's no safe place at home or work, but she would never think to look on the internet :-)

(9) On a sad ironic note, the times when Kylie miscarried, the pregnancy wasn't planned.

(10) No real regrets there - I now refer to myself as a "clothing engineer", rather than "bosses son" or "manager" or whatever.