What's your secret?
 

Recently a friend went on a quilt retreat. One of the 'get to know you games' they played was to tell the group something about yourself that no one knew already. Some of the things said were funny or serious and/or shocking. I sat and thought about what I would've said had I been present, but comfortably realize that my life is pretty tame. Nothing shocking about my past. Nothing too funny either.

I really don't have much of a filter, so most of what you hear, is what's rattling around in my head at that moment. I actually do use a filter from time to time, but I don't think people realize that.

I guess the only thing I can really come up with is that growing up my father was a policeman and I was raised knowing that 7 Draper Street was a house of ill-repute. Maybe not all young children know the exact address of a place like that. Much less, that as an adult I still know that.

It may be a long while until I can access this thread again. I've had issues getting onto this site only, from home computer. Says something like 'access denied.' So, if you're willing to share, what's your secret.

Not really a secret but because of my experiences usually early into meeting someone who I might see on a regular basis I say I am Jewish and have a gay son. That has eliminated some potential friendships.

Well then, the heck with them! How judgemental!

DH and I went to the wrong house for a New Year's Eve party. We got pretty far before we realized we had a problem. We didn't expect to recognize many people because we were new in town, and it was a work related party. We did wonder why everyone else had obviously been drinking for awhile, when we were arriving at the start of the party.

Hardly anyone knows I have a degree in Anthropology and Sociology.

I was at a retreat years ago where this prompt was asked. It was a church retreat, so I didn't have the nerve to say that I would occasionally sleep with strange men (I rode the commuter bus to work and would sometimes take a little nap sitting next to another commuter whom I did not know). LOL

Alyce ~ That's sad, but probably saves you a lot of grief down the road.

I think if I want to share something I should have the right to choose where, when, and with whom. I just might make something up though.

it is tempting to make something up! I've been married three times. most people don't know of the second one. too short to mention really.

I'm with you ... not a "game" that I would want to be drawn into by chance.

I wouldn't likely humour them by make something up.

However, I might say ... "Oh yes, I have secrets and they will stay just that!"

I used to sneak into the local animal petting zoo at night and ride the ponies.

Watson

Looks like you never gave it up, Watson! (I live on a horse training facility and grew up dreaming horses.) Was 40 before I got my own!

I'm a boring person. I'm not even interested in playing such games or knowing such information about people. It like none of my business....or, like I said, I'm just a boring person. But tell me something wonderful about yourself and family and I'm there with all ears and smiling!

if i tell, it will not be a secret! :)jj

This seems to have become popular in the last 3 years or so. I do not enjoy it and have never been able to think fast enough to make up answers. The only benefit I ever saw was when a young woman told us she had lost 24 pounds. She has always been reticent And to my eye was attractive, so this was eye-opening. I never thought that there was anything in my life they did not know.

Secret from early work days: Was a leg model for a very brief time. I modeled for a tire company, and my legs were painted gold, wore gold high heels, and only shot from high thigh down. Pictures appeared in tire catalogs. Not salacious, but 99.9% of my friends/family do not know!!

Most people don't know that I wear a 13 medium women shoe and I am 5 ft 8". I hate my feet!!!! Another think about this I wore a 12 when I was 12 yrs old. And at time it was a 4A narrow. This had been a bed thing all my life.

Because we don't really 'know' each other on this site, it's fun to read about the 'secret' lives of the quilting famous. :)It helps to know you better. So mine is, I've had 7 pregnancies, but only 4 live births and two living daughters. These experiences led me into childbirth education, for which I became a Certified Hypnotherapist and EFT Advanced Practitioner. I retired 15 years ago; had a horrid dream about it last night.

I was the poster girl for Tokyo Disneyland when I was 18 years old. Apparently, my face was plastered all over Japan. I still have the photo-shoot proofs somewhere but never got a copy of any of the posters...though I did see them. They made me ride the teacups for one shot and I barfed.... Was not a pretty picture.

I met Agathe von Trapp of the famed von Trapp Family Singers (the eldest, the "real" Liesl). She signed a copy of her book for me. A few years later she passed away about 1/2 hour from my home here in Maryland.

guess my secret is that due to my Dad's career in construction, we moved into some weird situations--including living one summer in a TINY travel trailer (it replaced the pop-up camper that we used for 3 weeks) without a bathroom--so we had a tar paper latrine and bathed in the lake (Ivory soap floats!) and our living room (unless it rained) was a campfire circle outside our door!

My secrets are on a need-to-know basis and I have yet to meet anyone who needs to know.

That reminds me of an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Larry and Cheryl didn't want to go to a particular party, so they showed up a day later. Of course, there was no party happening there, so they made their excuses and went on home. Problem solved

I'm afraid of the dark, sometimes, especially what's under the bed.

I've also been pregnant 7 times with 4 miscarriages including a set of twins. I have 3 grown wonderful children now. I've met and played pool with Tommy Smothers from the Smothers Brothers years ago. I have an inherited stutter (mom)that is sometimes there and sometimes not. Other than this the rest is for me to know.

I once got in an elevator at the Waldorf and John Ritter was in it. I got really giddy and my husband told him I don't get out too much hahahaha
It was really cool though!

shoe shopping might not be your favorite activity?

to quote my Mom - you have a better/bigger under-standing than most.

To my mind this game isn't "tell us a secret about yourself" but "tell us something that most people don't know." Things like I'm ambidextrous or I've lived in both Alaska and Hawaii or I can wiggle my nose like a rabbit. None of those are the kind of "secrets" that I would be embarrassed to tell.

Perfect answer...must remember that!

My DH and I were on stage with Montgomery Gentry at one of their shows. Their steel guitar player was one of DH best friends.

I am sure there are a lot of things that people could tell that aren't necessarily scathingly dark secrets, but things that would be fun and interesting to tell. So, here's mine...

I was on a daytime TV show, where a famous hypnotist hypnotized 4 people on stage (me being one of them) to do different things. He told me to sell my dress to guy next to me on stage, I tried but he declined my offer. I remember trying really hard, I even said that I would even throw in my pearl necklace, but to no avail. Thank goodness that he didn't make me cluck like a chicken.

When I got home that evening, I had a call from my parents that saw the show and they thought I was a hoot. I never did see what I looked like on TV and since no one else that I knew ever mentioned it, I figured it was a lucky escape if I made a real fool out of myself.

Most people who know me don't really know me, so I can go with lots of things... For me, it's not "secrets", but just stuff that most people wouldn't know, because I'm really quite boring and quiet/introverted. Some that I have used for these kinds of "get to know you" activities:

I've been to Gladiator School in Rome (it was just an afternoon, but was a lot of fun).

I've been in a donkey race at the rodeo.

Our car was once shot out while I was peacefully sleeping in a tent 20 feet on the other side (if a bullet had missed, it would have hit the tent). (My dad was also a policeman, then sheriff. A "bad guy" was mad at him. I was five.)

I've had to pee in a WWI bomb crater.

I feel you. I am spiritual but not “accepted Christian” and I have a Transexual DD. Closes a lot of ignorant doors for me too. Who needs closed minded people?

I was also an “extra” in a movie shot in Seattle, WA. Look for me in “Unforggetable” with Ray Liotta, Kim Cattral, and Linda Fiorentino.

You all live very exciting lives! Where have I been? :)

how in the world do these idiots feel there is anything wrong with that??
They need to look up their own family tree and look aroud and see what falls off of theirs.
I thought all those dumb lies have died down. what ignorant people out there. I say you're
better off without them.

i am afraid of the dark too!! When my dh had to go on a work trip overnight, i made my son sleep over with me.
half way thru the night the truth came out. he said he's not afraid of the dark, but loves a night light.

It's been fun reading your posts -- IceLeopard, I love your quote about buying fabric!

I was a fat kid and even tho I lost weight (while still in grade school), I always think of myself as overweight. I weigh about the same now, as I did when I was 10!

My secret is just that - my secret. I hate these kind of games. Since they are usually done in groups where most are strangers, I just pull a fact from my life that none of these people know.

If you want to make something up, try "My grandfather had six toes on his left foot." How likely is it that anybody there would know your grandfather or the number of his toes?

Wow! Their rejection of you as a friend is from THEIR uneducated mind. their
Loss. We learn from others.....but we have to be open to it. Hugs!

sandy

I have excellent memory of what others say and most of what I read. I can tell you exactly what the guild member said when she won the prize basket years ago. LOL I base my first impression of others on what they say because I will never forget it. I am very generous. I think the more you give when you can, you will receive twice over.