Tag, I'm it.

[gridlore]

Spreading across LiveJournal like WarPox spread across Earth in my Concordat setting, I've been tagged with the Ten Weird Things Meme by fearsclave.

Each player of this game starts off with ten weird things or habits or little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged must write in a blog of their own ten weird things or habits or little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you must choose six people to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks!

1. My sister and I were both born on the 4th of July, five years apart. At the time of our births, our father was still a British citizen.

2. I have a strange fear of dropping things down elevator shafts. I've never actually done it, to the best of my recollection, but I will go to great lengths to make sure that I never do drop something there.

3. When I drink, I prefer straight-up Jack Daniels and a beer. Never been one for mixed drinks.

4. My toes are extremely long and dexterous. I have used them to hold pieces of a rifle while cleaning it in the field.

5. The first time I ever drove a car was when I was 15. My best friend was so drunk he couldn't stand, and I had to drive his father's treasured 20-year old Lincoln home.

6. I once insulted Ted Nugent to his face.

7. A few weeks after I was born, my family was adopted by a stray cat (named "Kitty" by my then four-year old big brother.) Kitty thrived and was part of our lives for my entire childhood. She passed away only after I left home for Basic Training.

8. I love most British comedy, but Benny Hill has always left me cold.

9. I was at the launch of STS 51-L

10. I shoot left-handed unless the weapon is a scoped rifle, the I automatically adjust and shoot rightie.

Tagging? I don't do that. Consider all yourselves to be tagged. Or not.

Comments

[benkenobigal.livejournal.com]

You insulted Ted Nugent to his face?!?! What did you say? What did you say?!?!

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

At the time, Ted was with Damn Yankees, and my cousin was married to Tommy Shaw. We got backstage passes. Waiting to meet the Nuge, I was struck my just how ass-kissing the crowd was. Finally, we got to meet the man. He knew who we were ("Pam's cousin, right!") and I told him the show had been excellent. He came back with "We're the best show on the road!"

I couldn't resist. "Well, except for The Grateful Dead." Room went silent around us, and the look he gave me... To his credit, he recovered quickly, and posed for photos. I think it may have the first time in 20 years someone had contradicted him.

[lysana.livejournal.com]

That would explain a lot.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

David Copperfield gave me the evil eye when I laughed out loud at his cornball lines during a "suspenseful" part of the show.

[ex-cerebrate131.livejournal.com]

FWIW, Benny Hill was leaving me cold *way* before I ever left Britain.

[akicif.livejournal.com]

I'm told that early Benny Hill was funny (and not particularly smutty), but once they started to sell the show overseas it caught on in non-English speaking markets and they therefore ramped up the non-verbal stuff. This cost them most of their home market, though.

[darthgeek.livejournal.com]

I actually managed to drop my glasses down the shaft of the Hollywood Tower Of Terror at Walt Disney World.

I was also at the launch of STS 51-L. I was 9. I was sure that they had all escaped...

[claidheamhmor]

Interesting the way you shoot. Are you a lefty? Presumably you're right-eyed...

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

I'm left-handed, and don't really have a dominant eye. The left one needs more correction, but I've never had problems aiming a M-16 out to 300 meters.

The way I shoot is an artifact of how the USMC trains snipers. (The USMC did all the sniper training while I was in the Army, same way we did all the Airborne training.) They did not believe in left-handed shooters. So we all learned to fire the M-70 and M-21 right-handed. So for me, shooting scoped weapons is just right handed by training.

Notice that the CAR-15 I'm holding in the icon is scoped, but I'm shooting leftie. That was taken at a full auto shoot. I'm not using the scope, but instead using barrel sighting to get my rounds into an area.

[claidheamhmor]

Ah, I see!

Having to learn to shoot right-handed would have been rather uncomfortable for me; I cannot seem to feel right with a rifle on the right. I can shoot a pistol perfectly well with left or right hand though.

Most irritating thing I found shooting left-handed was having hot shells being efected in front of my nose; also having the safety in an awkward spot.