Interesting Tidbits

by Xena 51 Replies latest jw friends

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  freeman

  You could say I had some unusual experiences.

  In the 80’s I did some undercover work for the federal government, and that was a lot of fun, however things didn’t always go so good because one time they got me mixed up with the real bad guys that I was monitoring for the government.

  I once had my phone lines tapped, my phone records seized by the FBI, and I have even been followed by the DEA. All that was lots of fun, NOT! Connected with this stuff was something that happened to one of my contacts in Germany. The poor SOB had gasoline poured on him and was set on fire like a big torch. As it turns out he was an operative of the KGB and when the KGB was done with him, I guess they decided they didn’t want to leave any loose ends. (Note to self: Don’t ever work for organizations that have a really bad retirement plan. ) If anyone wants me to, I can try and scan a copy of the small newspaper article that talked about who this poor SOB was was and how he died. Just let me know.

  Anyway, I don’t do that sort of stuff anymore, but inside, part of me sometimes wants to get back in the game, especially since 9/11. But then I think about my family, and just how scary some of this stuff was at the time. Even though it all worked out OK in the end, it was a nightmare I do not wish to ever repeat. Trust me, you do not want to ever be on the business end of the FBI!

  I know the smart move now is for me to keep doing what I do, play with computers and keep them running for the FAA. Now I’m just a computer guy, and that’s all I aspire to be, but boy oh boy I sure will have some stories for the grandkids!

  Freeman
• 

  ashitaka

  By reading all of these experiences, I have realized that I am completely f***ing lame. Ugh, I'm so disgusted at myself. I need to get cracking on doing something interesting or when I die, all I'll have to talk about is the time I burnt a piece of toast.

  ash
• 

  Swan

  Francois,

  I can see by your post that you ...

  "...accentuate the positive
  Eliminate the negative
  Latch on to the affirmative" and
  "Don't mess with Mister In-Between"

  Tammy
• 

  BeautifulGarbage

  When I was fourteen and waiting for the bus, outside the Rivera Hotel in Palm Springs, with a girlfriend, a limousine pulls in front of where we were sitting on the grass. This man jumps out of the other side and begins to talk to us. He hands us a card with a man's name, and says that if we want to make some money, he can put us to work "dancing" in some movies. He stressed that it was easy work and we could make lots of money.

  As he was talking to us, the back window of the limo edges down to reveal a little old man who resembled George Burns in the Sunshine Boys. Guess he wanted to get a better look at us as we sat on the grass with our long tanned legs stretch out in front of us. Though, I'm sure our youth was the main attraction.

  Anyway, we take the card. We were young and naive, but even we knew something just wasn't right. I take the card home to my parents, who flip-out. They call the police department and find out the old guy is some big name in porn. Ah, the 70's. Nobody made a big deal about being underage. All a girl needed was a fake ID (not like now where fake breasts are mandatory and "all models are over the age of 18")) and porn stardom awaited.

  I passed on the offer.

  Andee
• 

  Lady Lee

  Andee - and you passed that up to become/stay a .............. JW

  sorry but the irony has given me the giggles

  glad though that you turned down the offer
• 

  Brummie

  interesting thread Xena you gorgeous person.

  wildhorses:

  I survived 75

  LOL! so did the rest of the world. I dove naked into the river seven when I was 17...brrrrrr (apologies to those traumatised). I sang a song with the Stylistics (gee I made a row but it was fun). Have met various famous people. ub40, pogues, kirsty mcholl, robert plant, and above all I have communicated over the internet with the famous xena Brummie PS I smoked a spliff in the school bogs at 13 yrs old and saw the pope appear out of no where, he vanished after the spliff ended.
• 

  WildHorses

  Wow! That happened to me too. Fortunately some adults jumped in and saved us both.

  Yeah, if it weren't for my grandfather I wouldn't be here today. I was spending the summer on the farm with him and my grandmother. He was using the air pum. I rememeber it looking like a plimp on wheels.

  Well, there was dew on the ground and I in my bare feet decided to grab on to it and that was it. I couldn't move. All I felt was numb. Next thing I knew, papa jerked me away really fast. I'm surprised he was electrocuted also. Maybe because he had shoes on.
• 

  DFWnonJW

  I'm just another of the uninteresting ones.

  When I was about 12 I thought a planned boating trip was to a local lake (Hanson Dam) in So. Cal. Instead we (3 "adults", my ~10yo nephew and I ) are headed out to Marina Del Rey and off into the really wild blue yonder! 3 miles out (can BARELY see land) in a 14ft boat. I hear what sounds like gunshots way off in the distance. So meanwhile we're catching a mess of fish and then the "adults" start cutting the fish up and throwing them overboard. Odd, but I'm from Texas and don't know anything about this bloodletting ritual. So then the shark shows up and begins circling the boat. What do you catch a shark with.... a 3" gaff (hook) and a short length of ski rope of course. Well, that shark got away but the next one did not and since sharks do not easily drown, we (they) hadda pull the damn thing into the boat while still alive and flopping about. Remember, 14ft boat, 5 persons and 1 7ft flopping Blue shark. That was an interesting experience. The japenese neighbors had a heck of a party that night as they made shark steaks from their gift. This was a few years before Jaws.

  ...thinking....thinking....OH, I designed some artwork for something called an Apostafest not too long ago :) That was cool!

  Played drums in an Air Guitar band many years ago. Our standard number was "My Generation" by the Who but our cardboard and balsa wood expenses were quite excessive and led directly to our early demise. Well, that and it's hard to compete against 6 scantily clad young 'ladies' singing "why don't we get drunk and screw" - you Parrotheads will remember that tune.

  I know people that have many interesting stories but I'm a dullard in comparison. :)
• 

  MegaDude

  When I was a first grader I was a fascinated by the jets that flew over our house and landed at the airfield a half-mile away so one day I walked all the way to the runway and waited there to see a jet land close up. Got picked by security police before I got landed on. LOL.

  Began giving service meeting parts as a 7th grader at the ministry school. The brothers thought it important to push me because Armageddon was so close and I might need to lead the congregation if they were thrown in jail. SHEESH. I was terrible.

  Have lived in England and Germany, as well as Florida, Louisiana, Virginia and Texas.

  Was hit by a car when riding my bike at 15 years of age. Lost a lot of skin and broke a collarbone.

  Met Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward when they were filming "Against All Odds" in Cozumel, Mexico. I had just come up out of the ocean off a scuba dive and was wearing a Van Halen t-shirt. They wanted to know where to get something to eat during the afternoon siesta and were looking for someone who spoke english.

  Never gave a damn about grades in school because I didn't see the point with Armageddon so close. Wised up my junior year. Wonder if I could have been a straight A student.

  Wished I'd gone to Film School.

  Have scuba dived in Mexico, Bahamas and Grand Cayman.

  Have hiked to the top of Half Dome three times in Yosemite Park.

  Picked up dinner for Ted Nugent in Abilene, Texas, one night after a concert.

  Was next to the stage during a Fleetwood Mac concert and mouthed to Stevie Nicks "you are so beautiful" because I was completey awestruck by her. She said in her microphone "You're beautiful too" for the whole coliseum to hear. I was so embarassed I couldn't look at her anymore. LOL.

  Was nearly hit in the head by a piece of television set by Wendy O. Williams during a Plasmatics concert. She was pissed because the two guys next to me were screaming at her to give them a blow job in the middle of her song.

  Met Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart at the airport when they looked good. Very friendly and they signed my record album and posed for pictures.

  Once started a feeding frenzy 50 feet underwater with thousands of hungry fish. Got mauled by a 300 pound grouper and was chased off by friendly barricuda who liked to swim up to people's face and open his mouth full of sharp teeth.

  Have met both Xena's from this board.
• 

  Outaservice

  Well, lets see......

  1. Had dinner with President Bush (Sr.) at the Whitehouse. Also, my picture with him.

  2. Had Vanna White (Wheel Of Fortune) feature one of my manufactured products on TV several times.

  3. Shook hands with Glen Campbell, The Pointer Sisters, Andy Kaufman, and many others in Las Vegas.

  4. Rode on an elevator with James Brown (I feel Good!)

  5. Had dinner with the Governor of Michigan and his wife and received a Christmas Card from him yearly.

  6. And finally, Pioneered one month and never called on a door!

  Outaservice (who's done a lot more, but dosen't want to brag!) Ha.