MetaChat - What's the craziest thing you've done so far?

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21 March 2007

What's the craziest thing you've done so far? →[More:]Have I asked this question before? I forget. Is it "I forget" or "I've forgotten"?; that's always bugged me.
Anyway, the reason for writing this post--in the middle of my lunchbreak today, I felt like getting up and walking straight out of the front door of my office lobby--without any explanations. Weird. I almost did, but something forced me to turn my feet around and walk back.
As I'm typing this other people are busy mugging for a test that we might be having later on, and here I am, not the least bothered.

post by: hadjiboy at: 02:42 | 40 comments

Hope me:(

posted by hadjiboy 21 March | 02:42

Hadjiboy, I can't hope you.

But I want to say that I love your questions.

Craziest thing I've ever done (that I feel okay telling here) was hiding a pilfered pistol on the Mexican border. Hid it underneath a Yosemite Sam mudflap, within site of the border crossing. Because you can't cross the border with a pilfered pistol.

I've done maybe-crazier things, but this is the story I'm willing to tell.

posted by mudpuppie 21 March | 02:54

Now you've got me wondering...

I love that people love (or don't Hate the fact that I ask so many questions:))

posted by hadjiboy 21 March | 03:08

So...you consider it a crazy action to kinda come sorta close to feeling like maybe you quit on the spot, or you consider it a crazy action to even consider doing it?

posted by cmonkey 21 March | 03:09

Rather sadly, I don't think I've ever done anything really crazy. I have walked out on work before though.

posted by seanyboy 21 March | 03:14

The craziest thing I ever did that I'm willing to disclose here was hold a beating human heart somewhat still in my hand while a surgeon worked on it, sewing bypass grafts on the coronary arteries. I could feel the beating getting stronger as the blood flowed freely through the fresh grafts.

That was some crazy shit.

posted by ikkyu2 21 March | 03:51

A lot of the crazy things I did I only found about afterwards because I was in a drunken blackout at the time.

On preview. Wow, ikkyu2.

posted by essexjan 21 March | 04:00

Pretty much everything I did between the ages of 17 and 36... seriously. I don't think I ever made a decision that wasn't impulsive and/or devil-may-care, and I've had a relatively unconventional, sometimes wild, life. It all turned out well, though, for the most part, though leaving my career to move to Greece is the one thing I still have "wondering" thoughts about, because I was offered an amazing job a couple of months before we left - a job nobody would turn down.

Anyway, I think that irrational optimism has always been the key to surviving (even thriving on) my crazy ways. Also, the fact that I'm not crazy with people; I treat people well, and have been well-liked, so I've had lots of boosts up from folks. I'm kind of very bored with myself right now, though... I feel like I need to try something crazy again, though not of the walking-out variety.

posted by taz 21 March | 05:14

I once smuggled a dead piranha from Venezuela to London through customs. I really can't remember now why I wanted it so much that I was willing to risk prison time. Youthful folly etc etc.

posted by roofus 21 March | 05:15

I once told my boss to go fuck himself, threw a folder at him and walked out. I spent the next four hours panicking that I had lost my job, until he phoned and apologised.

posted by dg 21 March | 05:20

Missionary position, under the covers, with the lights off.

...... I still get goosebumps.

Seriously, why even try to top ikkyu2?

posted by mike9322 21 March | 06:14

Taz you are heroic. I am pro that kind of crazy.

Leaving out all the Bad Crazy and the Secret Crazy and focusing only on the Good Crazy, I'd say night swimming is the feel good activity of all time. I hung out with a group of folks for a time and several times a year, we'd end up breaking into some pool or other and skinny dipping. I did keep my undies on, only because the thought of fleeing from authority NAKED was too much for me to handle. I know this isn't an uncommon experience, but it was always such good, exciting, clean fun.

I once eluded Campus Security and climbed through the catwalk with a backback full of beer to the booth during an Adam Sandler show.

I'm self-editing other stuff as bad, secret, or too specific to me as to take to long to explain.

posted by rainbaby 21 March | 06:15

I've driven around with an illegal pistol in my jeans. Ran around a graveyard naked. (I also once stayed naked for 72 hours straight, just for the hell of it). I've also sang in public and showed my butt to you guys. Also, once when I was very sleepy, I drove my car about a half-mile without realizing I was on the wrong side of the road. That's pretty crazy.

posted by jonmc 21 March | 07:01

I quit a job. Two weeks before Christmas. With a 2 month-old baby at home. And I didn't have another job to go to. I guess that qualifies as crazy-stupid, but it was still crazy.

posted by tommasz 21 March | 07:10

I've never really done anything that crazy. I'm pretty boring, I guess. Ummm...I snorted lines of salt, once. Actual table salt. That's about it.

posted by muddgirl 21 March | 07:15

Good crazy also includes artistic crazy, which isn't really crazy at all, but I went through a long Animal Heads and Karaoke phase. I'd justify a big number done by the animals and people, usually in bad drag. For instance: Groundhogs dancing to "Tusk" and tearing apart drag Stevie Nicks in a Dionysian Frenzy. That's comedy gold people!

posted by rainbaby 21 March | 07:20

I once took part in a chicken-sacrifice ceremony; I also had the pleasure of throwing several Molotov cocktails, which caused a HUGE blaze on top of an old water storage tank perched near the top of a hill. The tank (and, hence, the fire) was visible for several miles.

posted by deadcowdan 21 March | 07:51

There have been three times where I have gotten on board a plane not really sure what was waiting me at the other end. Once when I was 19, then again when I was 31 and then once again when I was 35.

I should be doing it again in about 4 months.

It's scary knowing that when you get off that plane, it's sink or swim time and not really knowing if you can make it or not.

Scary and the bestest feeling ever.

posted by Dagobert 21 March | 08:04

Quitting a good job (without having one to go to), moving to Seattle and living on my savings for a few months. It's also the best thing I've ever done. I don't think it was all that crazy, but boy, everyone else said it was.

Probably the only other thing that qualifies as remotely crazy was swimming (in a pool) during a rain/lightening storm. I was a kid, it was warm (SoCal) and who cared?

posted by deborah 21 March | 08:09

Took part of a ritual Smurf burning.

Build a MIRV using several Estes rockets and bottle rockets and launched it on a lovely spring afternoon on campus.

posted by plinth 21 March | 08:16

I've stitched up people on more than one occasion after cuts (my training is in literature and fine arts, and I work in IT. So I am not a doctor).
I once sent my emails at work in Iambic pentameter for a month, just to see if anyone would notice (no one did).
I lived in the local Punk Rock Flophouse (I think every city has at least one). I also was acting mom to it for a while (as in, I made sure everyone ate).
I once bought all new dishes rather than wash the ones I had.
I trained a friend of mine to "walk like a girl" for a career in the drag arts.

I'm sure there's other stuff but the bad-crazy things makes it tough to remember.

posted by kellydamnit 21 March | 08:30

Wow ikkyu2, that's awesome crazy.

Ages 15-23 was crazy. I've jumped into numerous sprinbreaker's cars when I was 15 and 16-years old. I've picked up hitchhikers. I've sang karaoke drunk on Jagermeister -- I can't sing. I've been arrested for drinking under age. I've broken sternums while giving chest compressions. I've witnessed lots of coke snorting. I've witnessed a lot of crazy things at the hospital, but that's not really doing is it? I've done crazier things, I won't repeat them. : )

posted by LoriFLA 21 March | 08:39

Ages 15-23 was crazy. I've jumped into numerous sprinbreaker's cars when I was 15 and 16-years old. I've picked up hitchhikers. I've sang karaoke drunk on Jagermeister -- I can't sing. I've been arrested for drinking under age.

Heh, this was pretty much a normal childhood in my hometown.

I can't really think of anything crazy I've done. I'm worried that my definitions of crazy might be a little off-kilter, though.

posted by gaspode 21 March | 09:06

Here I am at work, where every keystroke may be logged and reviewed, and you ask a great question like this?

*shakes fist*

I'm forced to give short, cleansed versions.

I've bought chinchillas in quantity at some of the more dangerous open-air chinchilla markets in Baltimore; jumped off the back bumper of an 18-wheeler going about 25 mph, churning my legs in the air in an attempt to hit the ground running; talked shit to a guy waving a pistol at a party; started brawls that ended up in jail time (for others); involved myself in an Egyptian-Australian chinchilla-smuggling operation; hopped in a cab in Cairo with known gangsters, to whom I turned over my passport for a time in return for hard currency; fallen off an ancient Roman aqueduct in a stupor; hung out backstage at a Leppard show; been out drinking with a group of Yakuza (they took a shine to me); the list goes on and gets worse. My decision-making skills and my instinct for self-preservation often seem at odds.

posted by Hugh Janus 21 March | 09:10

Wow, my life is boring compared to some of the bunnies (Hugh, I'm looking your way). Almost one year ago I let a guy I'd only met on the internet into my apartment after he drove 7 hours to visit me. My mom, housemate and friends all thought I was nuts and I had to call all of them very soon after he arrived to let everyone know he didn't kill me. Turned out OK in the end though :)

posted by LunaticFringe 21 March | 09:37

So...you consider it a crazy action to kinda come sorta close to feeling like maybe you quit on the spot, or you consider it a crazy action to even consider doing it?

A bit of both I’d say.
My trainer gave us all a pep talk before he let us go today (we’re in our last week of training), and he told us about this 58 year old man from Calcutta who, after retiring from the government job that he had, wanted to keep himself busy, and so, having good communication skills, applied for a job in the BPO sector, and landed up in my trainer’s class. Now this guy was SO tech un-savvy, that he didn’t even know what a mouse was, so he asked Sandy to help him out as much as he could. The first few days after hitting the floor he fumbled a bit, but by the time the month was over, he was the top call taker amongst 350 odd people.

Another good thing that I would’ve missed out on today if I’d walked out was that we had a Team Synergy session that was rather interesting—got to know a bunch of stuff about my batch mates that I wouldn’t have know otherwise—and had a generally pleasant experience.
Also found out my scores for the past three weeks, and the aggregate puts me at no. 2 spot, or no. 3, which is much better than I expected, but then I somehow always expect the worst.
Wonder when that feeling will decide to leave me.

posted by hadjiboy 21 March | 10:30

Dagobert, are you in the Marines?

(Thanks for indulging me guys--you all rock!!)

posted by hadjiboy 21 March | 10:32

...but then I somehow always expect the worst.
Wonder when that feeling will decide to leave me.

I always hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. It tempers my expectations.

posted by Hugh Janus 21 March | 10:35

^I wish I could do that^

posted by hadjiboy 21 March | 10:40

About a year and a half ago I knew I was leaving Los Angeles and I didn't have much more time to hang out with my friends. One of us owns a coffeeshop... I would drive there after work several times a week, even though it was 24 miles away on the other side of the city. We'd all wait until he closed up at 1 a.m. He would clean up the shop (he didn't like us to help, although I'd try) and at 2 a.m. we would all get in his car and go out to eat in Koreatown. Weeknights there is a very interesting crowd at that hour. About 3:30 a.m. he'd drop us off back at the coffeeshop and we'd all get in our individual cars. I'd drive 24 miles back down the 10 all the way, and by 4 a.m. I'd be home.

Other nights we'd go to somebody's apartment, watch DVDs, drink, and (the guys will never admit this) talk, which at that hour tends to make you fall asleep on the living room floor.

It was awesome.

posted by halonine 21 March | 10:57

Motorcycle racing down railroad tracks (at a high enough speed, the vibration from the ties smoothes out) without having a clue about train schedules.

posted by warbaby 21 March | 11:07

Heh, this was pretty much a normal childhood in my hometown.

Here also. Maybe it's not so crazy after all. : )

posted by LoriFLA 21 March | 11:35

Went to Palestine. One of the best things I ever did either. Palestine is awesome and one of the most Western-friendly Arab countries.

posted by By the Grace of God 21 March | 11:53

Gave a kidney to a stranger.

posted by small_ruminant 21 March | 12:33

1. climbed this structure

2. Lived in the catwalks of a theater for 3 months.

3. Fell asleep on a large rock while the tide came in

4. Got married 5 months after meeting my wife (13 years ago)

5. Drove to Nashville and back (16 hours each way) with only an hour nap inbetween

6. Quit high school and taught myself for the next year and a half

6...

posted by edgeways 21 March | 12:53

1. Caught about 10 feet of air going over a hill at 75mph in my car.
2. Either that, or nearly blowing myself up back in my pyromaniac youth.
3. Or maybe it's almost falling off a motorcycle that was too weak to do a wheelie without dropping the clutch at 8000RPM in 1st gear.

posted by knave 21 March | 13:35

My juvenile record of crazy stuff is sealed.

Adult crazy stuff has been decidedly less crazy:
- Having never lived outside of the Northwest I packed up my apartment in Seattle and drove to Chicago for grad school.
- On that drive straight across I took a two day detour to Colorado in a 19ft truck and then drove in to Chicago in less than a day.
- After Chicago, probably moving to NYC without a job lined up and all my support still in the NW.
- Trying to do everything I'm trying to do right now is also pretty crazy stupid, but I don't want to get into it. Too stressful to thing about the big picture, much easier to manage it all task by bleedin' task.

posted by safetyfork 21 March | 13:38

I guess 'to thing about' has a nice ring, though it should be 'to think about'.

posted by safetyfork 21 March | 13:40

oh... right.... fire and explosives, almost, er, blocked that out. So I suppose letting a bunch of propane out into a tube, lighting it and having the entire top half of the dorm room in flames for a microsecond should be on the list as well as.... eh on second thought forget the next part, it never happened... really.

posted by edgeways 21 March | 15:24

Crazy was walking away from my first marriage with two small kids and living on my own for the first time.
Crazy also was taking a vacation by myself when my divorce was final, having dinner alone in restaurants, doing whatever I wanted to do. (If you knew me before my divorce, you'd know how crazy that was for me)
And crazy was deciding to chance it on the personal ads (newspaper, I didn't have a computer then). I had some interesting times, and it worked out well for me!
Oh, and the one crazy time I brought a guy home from the bar. It turned into a several month .. "relationship".

posted by redvixen 21 March | 18:18

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