I never...

[side_show]

Inspired by this post by JL I thought, why not start a thread about things that it strike some as unusual to know we've never done.  You know - things that are fairly common parts of the human experience in North America that you've managed to accidentally or intentionally avoid.

I've never ridden a hoss.
...seen the original Star Wars trilogy.
...had a roommate.
...eaten Peking Duck.
...ridden on a train.
...drank scotch.

[jay-ell]

Do we have to drink if we've done the things mentioned?

I never...

...saw The Sound of Music
...lived on campus at college
...attended a frat party
...climbed a tree

[wombat]

You have never ridden on a train of any kind? Not a subway either?

Till I was in my 30s I could say I had never driven a car, which people found totally bizarre and unAmerican. Apparently it is really Not Done to be an adult in this country and not know how to drive. Now that I have learned to drive, I feel like nothing I could list in a thread like this could ever live up to that.

[pmcd9]

I've never ridden a hoss.
...seen the original Star Wars trilogy.
...had a roommate.
...eaten Peking Duck.
...ridden on a train.
...drank scotch.

Hmm... I've done all of those things, I'll have to think about this. 

Actually, I just rewatched the Original Star Wars trilogy.  In fact, I saw Return of the Jedi just last night.

Do we have to drink if we've done the things mentioned?

I never...

...saw The Sound of Music
...lived on campus at college
...attended a frat party
...climbed a tree

I never lived on campus at college either.  Common ground.

Although, I'm not sure how common that is.  It's really a small percentage of people who even go to college at all and an even smaller number who live on campus.

But I have done all the rest of that stuff.  One time I climbed a tree and then jumped out of the tree and broke my foot.

Also, you should see The Sound of Music.  It's a really good film.  Watch it with the kids.  I'm especially fond of this number.  There's something about that melody that really gets me.

Till I was in my 30s I could say I had never driven a car, which people found totally bizarre and unAmerican.

that is pretty odd, but I guess not so much if you live in NYC.

[jay-ell]

On the other hand, I had never been on an airplane until the week before my wedding (I was 22). I had been on a subway, but never a real train until I was about 25.

I have also never been outside North America, and have only been outside of the US once. My family visited the Canadian side of Niagara Falls when I was small; you didn't even need a passport then. Actually, that's another thing I've never done -- had a passport. And I've never been west of the Mississippi river.

Pedro was 30 years old before he ever visited Disney World.

I have never been the the circus.

[Asherdan]

This one is a puzzler for me. I mean, I have wide ranging interests and have at least managed to dabble in most of them. I guess I'll go digging in the "to do" list and see if they strike anyone as odd I hain't done that yet...

> Karaoke, I haven't done this and I'm a ham with a decent voice.

> Climbed a really big friggin' mountain to see what's there. I've climbed a bunch of normal ones, but nothing with cachet.

> Tapdanced on the restaurant table while singing this song to Spouse.

> Africa - Safari. 'Nuff said.

> Read David Copperfield or a whole binders worth of other 'classics'. Life's too short to get 'em all, I s'pose.

> Painted a picture after Kindergarten. The whole brush/paint/paper thing confounds me. Now with crayons, on the other hand...

> I've not eaten a Slim Jim yet.

I'm jealous of Smells for the no roomate thing. I finally snapped and went into abject poverty just to get a studio in the ghetto on my own.

[Asherdan]

Now that I have learned to drive, I feel like nothing I could list in a thread like this could ever live up to that.

You would be right.

[KeithHernandez]

Hey, I have never been east of the mississippi river (i have been to every state west, except the Dakotas and Oregon and Washington) and I have only been outside of the country for a few hours when my family went to Tijuana when I was about 12, you didn't even need a passport then.  I have never had a passport either!

On the other hand, I had never been on an airplane until the week before my wedding (I was 22). I had been on a subway, but never a real train until I was about 25.

I have also never been outside North America, and have only been outside of the US once. My family visited the Canadian side of Niagara Falls when I was small; you didn't even need a passport then. Actually, that's another thing I've never done -- had a passport. And I've never been west of the Mississippi river.

Oh damn, plus I have never been on a train, but have been on a subway and haven't been on an airplane since I was about 8.

[jay-ell]

Keith and I are all up in each other's negative space!

[wombat]

that is pretty odd, but I guess not so much if you live in NYC.

That is absolutely correct. There are ways in which NYC is not exactly part of America, and that's one of them.

[Nabubrush]

Maybe it speaks to me being from Alaska, but I'm a bit surprised that "I've never climbed a tree" just floats off into the ether. I can't imagine anyone ambulatory never having climbed a tree.

I've never lived in on-campus housing or gone to a frat party. I don't think I've ever been inside a frat. This isn't dirtiest dudes or anything, but I've never been anybody's first time (as far as I know).

Man, I don't think I'm that interesting but I am having a hard time coming up with things here, and I think this is a hella interesting topic.

[Drygioni]

I've never ridden a hoss. I did this but did not enjoy it
...seen the original Star Wars trilogy. WAT
...had a roommate. I've always been lucky with mine. We're all going our separate ways soon and I want to cry
...eaten Peking Duck. It's nomolicious
...ridden on a train. Trains are my favourite mode of transport. Except when I am sat next to a drunk person
...drank scotch. Scotch is the King of Alcohol
...saw The Sound of Music It's good
...lived on campus at college We don't have 'campuses' mostly but I've done our equivalent (uni halls)
...attended a frat party Done UK equivalent I think
...climbed a tree Do it tomorrow. Your body is the greatest instrument you will ever own. And it likes to climb
> Karaoke, I haven't done this and I'm a ham with a decent voice. Do it. Seeing good people at karaoke is joyful. I have done it but I have a terrible voice
> Climbed a really big friggin' mountain to see what's there. I've climbed a bunch of normal ones, but nothing with cachet. How big is really big? I have conquered a few, most of the UK mountains are relatively small but the Alps/Pyrenees have given me some tough times. Or should that be tough CLIMBS lolol
> Tapdanced on the restaurant table while singing this song to Spouse. I have not done this. I lose
> Africa - Safari. 'Nuff said. I lose again
> Read David Copperfield or a whole binders worth of other 'classics'. Life's too short to get 'em all, I s'pose. David Copperfield is good, but you have rightly discarded it in favour of better things
> Painted a picture after Kindergarten. The whole brush/paint/paper thing confounds me. Now with crayons, on the other hand... I did one good painting past the age of 14, and that was my life's artistic talent all used up
> I've not eaten a Slim Jim yet. What's a slim jim

I now need to do those 3 things. Tapdance, Africa, Slim Jim

I will think of some for myself but not now

[Nabubrush]

Ash, I'm stunned that you or anybody hasn't been to Africa. Seriously, why are you wasting time fuck*ng around here.

[Nabubrush]

I've never:

seen 12 Angry Men (although I have it on my DVR). Is that one? It's the highest rated film in IMDB that I haven't seen.
played an organized sport, not really. I went out for wrestling but never competed, and I was on the swim team in Jr. High.
killed anything bigger than a bug other than a few halibut.
been arrested.
finished a game of chess (I don't think, anyway).

This is kind of hard.

[side_show]

I never lived on campus either - but that wasn't an option, my university didn't have on campus housing at the time.  I also never went to a frat party, but neither of the universities had frats at the time either.

I have ridden on the subway in Toronto, which I loved, but not on an actual, factual train.

I have never been to Disney.  That was something that really made me feel like an outsider at the private school I went to.  I was there on a low income scholarship, all my classmates were well to do and going to Disney was a pretty regular thing for them.  Now I'm anti Disney and hope I never have to go there.  I think it would be like a personal hell.

I didn't know what a Slim Jim was, but I have eaten a Hot Rod so I'm thinking I'm okay there.  

Most of Ash's other thing seem pretty uncommon to me.  I am pretty proud of the no roommate thing.  It was the one thing that came from my mom's mental illness that turned out well for me.  I applied for funding from this organization indicating I was unable to live at home and successfully attend university, and they interviewed me about it, I was honest about my situation and they covered my room and board for three school years.  

I've never seen 12 Angry Men (not interested)

I've never killed anything bigger than a goldgiraffe.  I'd like to though.

I've never been arrested, but that's just luck.

I've never had sex with anyone but my husband, and he's never had sex with anyone but me.  That's pretty damn rare these days.

I've never met 11 of my aunts and uncles.

I've never had a biologically related member of my family die of natural causes in my life time.

I've never owned a kitten or puppy (only adult adopted pets)

I've never gotten a tattoo - seems to be the norm with my peers to have one.