Tell me something about yourself that is Amazing, Unbelievable, Surprising or Odd. =)

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I was in the USAF a long time ago and years later found out that the old German guy several people above me in the organization was a Nazi. Not the least bit surprising if you had met him. Thick German accent, personality like Major Hochstetter on Hogan's Heroes and he liked to wear long, black leather trench-coats when it was cold. No idea what he did in the war, but the OSS smuggled him into the US as part of Operation Paperclip.

Tested a dummy on the rocket sled three times at Holloman AFB. Probably used about 20 or more surplus motors out of the old Zunis for those tests. So burned a heckuva lot of Newtons doing those tests. Wikipedia says that they had approximately 34,000 Newtons each.

Afraid of heights like many others here, but have gone sky diving and it was fantastic. I have a bad back now and will never do it again.

I've been in the sarcophagus room of the Great Pyramid – surprisingly, not much to look at, it’s just a small unadorned room.

And helping to build a B-17 for the last 15 years.
 
I'm mentioned in Wikipedia. In 1981, I wrote software to implement a serial interface using only the pins on the joystick port on an Atari 400/800 computer. ("Bit banged RS232".) My device driver emulated the $400 UART box sold by Atari, making all existing modem software compatible. This enabled 100's of BBS's to pop up overnight using inexpensive hardware. An improved version of the driver also emulated a Hayes modem using a simple $100 modem. That was the first piece of software I wrote for profit. I was in my early 20's. 🥴
 
When my older brother and I were very young...we got sent home from school due to our socks.

So growing up, my parents didn't really "care" for us and we were expected to do things on our own or the older sibling guide the younger.

However my older brother (by 2 years) deserves an odd thread of his own and many things are too wild, crazy (or gross) for me to post here.

One day he decides to start a contest with me. "Let's see who can wear their socks the longest!" Contest.

We went over a week (or two?) before it rained hard and our socks got wet going to school.

Apparently (sketchy on details since I was very young) our socks got so stinky that the teacher inquired why and one of us told and we were both sent home for disturbing the classrooms with our smelly socks.
:eek: o_O:barf::p
 
Here's something about me: As a student in the 90's, I was offered to work with a lab team doing research on battery efficiency, possibly for cars. I picked another path but that one is still never too far off.

As my avatar and spiritual advisor would say:
"I find it to be quite absurd when an Earthling is trying to convince me to carry out oxydation reactions to propel myself using the Martian atmosphere!"

⚡ 👾🛸
 
I spoke to Sandra Day O'Connor.
I said "Yes Ma'am" three times.
I worked at a fancy golf course.

Also Tom Poston.
In Westwood, CA walking down sidewalk. Big Ol Kennedy death car Lincoln puts up and Tom and a bunch of others pile out arguing about which way an Italian restaurant was. I said, "It’s that way." He said, "Thank you."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Poston
 
In college, I had a rather mundane chance encounter with Mike and Karen Pence. My now wife wanted to try a Greek restaurant in a nearby town to our school, so we went down there. The Pence's came in right after us and we had a brief conversation before we were each shown our tables. He was our House Representative at the time, so we knew who he was. Apparently this restaurant was (is?) a favorite of theirs and they were happy to share some of their menu recommendations to first time visitors.
 
Hmm...personally I have flown almost anything that glides from hand-launch gliders up through full size sailplanes, also have my regular license flying Cessnas...and yes, I have crossed the streams and thermaled a C172 at 1500 up on the vario :). That all led to a very unusual life-threatening experience 25 years ago - got caught in massive wave lift in an old Schweizer, fortunately had my instructor with me. We were about 80 degrees nose down with the boards out to control airspeed and still getting 2000 fpm up. Got taken above 15kft before escaping laterally.

With a hang glider I will happily go off a cliff with no trouble. Without one I am Reese Withoutherspoon and get queasy.
 
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I was once part of a jury selection panel in Queens, NY for an arson case where a firefighter was injured, so it was a serious felony case.

The selection process was grueling and as it got smaller, the judge warned us several times "DO NOT visit the arson site otherwise you will be put in jail!"

Then on the weekend, my wife's brother was having a birthday party and my wife had all the details and I didn't really pay attention. We got to the restaurant (you know where this is going lol) and suddenly it seemed familiar...I looked at the menu and HOLY HECKINBOB IT'S THE FREAKIN RESTAURANT!!!

I had no idea and the restaurant was completely redone, so there were no signs of damage at all.

I told my wife in a panic and she said not to worry and how would they find out, but I didn't enjoy the dinner at all.

When I went back to jury duty, I knew the lawyers wanted me and I'm very honest, so I wasn't going to lie to get out of it, but if I'm selected, it could be a mistrial if they found out and I'd be jailed. :eek:

I kept waiting for something to get me out and meanwhile a little old lady kept saying everything to try to get out (including that she was racist lol, but the judge would say to put that aside, etc. because they knew she was lying to get out)...a LOT of people didn't want to be on a 3 month long trial.

Finally, the judge is about to end everything and I was still in the pool.

I raised my hand and said "I feel that if the defendant isn't willing to testify, it means that he's probably guilty" (which was my honest feeling, but they never asked).

The little old lady raised her hand and said "ME TOO!!!". :p

Suddenly the lawyers jumped up and approached the bench. Next thing I know, the judge said both of us were dismissed. Phew!

My life is full of weirdly fated stuff like this. Too funny sometimes, but quite frustrating other times. It does make things interesting and also makes me better at figuring things out though.
 
I travelled half way around the world at 5 mph.
Valparaiso Chile through the Straits of Magellan to the Cape Verde Islands and then to Aberdeen Scotland. I was radio officer aboard a semisubmersible drill rig, the Odeco Ocean Bounty, under tow by the supertug Smit Rotterdam. The Bounty was self propelled but could only do 1 knot. With the Smit Rotterdam we did 4 knots. 3+ months en route.

The Bounty was being moved from Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska to the North Sea. The Bounty was too big to go through the Panama Canal, hence the trip around South America. I rode the second half of the trip.
 
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I travelled half way around the world at 5 mph.

Valparaiso Chile through the Straits of Magellan to the Cape Verde Islands and then to Aberdeen Scotland. I was radio officer aboard a semisubmersible drill rig, the Odeco Ocean Bounty, under tow by the supertug Smit Rotterdam. The Bounty was self propelled but could only do 1 knot. With the Smit Rotterdam we did 4 knots. 3+ months en route.

The Bounty was being moved from Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska to the North Sea. The Bounty was too big to go through the Panama Canal, hence the trip around South America. I rode the second half of the trip.
I actually know the Smit Rotterdam because I used to see RC models of it years ago and wanted one. Very impressive tug and very impressive journey! :) 👍
 
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