It’s time to share ten more things I’ve never ever done. As always, they’re pretty random, but that’s half the fun.
- Taken photos in a photo booth.
- Cooked with saffron.
- Tasted Vegemite (or Marmite).
- Learned sign language. (I know the signs for “more” and “thank you”…)
- Solved a Rubik’s cube.
- Donated my hair.
- Been stung by a jellyfish.
- Taken a Polaroid picture. (Or even shaken one; why yes, I am singing Hey Ya! in my head right now.)
- Completed a jigsaw puzzle over 1,000 pieces.
- Accidentally (or intentionally) set off a fire alarm.
Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Part 9. Part 10. Part 11. Part 12.
You know the drill!
- How many of my Never Evers have you done?
- Who loves Vegemite or Marmite?
- Both kids and John can solve a Rubik’s Cube, but I have no interest in learning how. What about you?
- Puzzle lovers, what’s your biggest puzzle to date?
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I’ve never set off a fire alarm, but I did manage to trigger the police alarm at the bank I used to work for. I went in on a Saturday, and when I left, I somehow set it off without even noticing.
My boss filled me in on Monday: a full police brigade had stormed the place with blue lights and sirens blazing. They called him in too, and the whole thing ended up costing the bank $500.
Luckily, they footed the bill – but my boss declared I owed the team croissants for the rest of the week to make up for it. 😅
Eeks!
Croissants sounds like a reasonable “payment” for the anguish caused. I mean, who doesn’t love croissants!
Wow, what a list. I have done 6 this time
1. Taken photos in a photo booth – yes, several times for passport photos
2. Cooked with saffron – yes, although that often. I use it in paella or other rice dishes
3. Tasted Vegemite (or Marmite) – Marmite here in the UK and I quite like it. The advertising here is “you either love or hate it” and my husband hates it!
4. Learned sign language. (I know the signs for “more” and “thank you”…) – I used to be able to sign the alphabet when I was much younger. I keep thinking I would like to learn again if I can find the right course for me.
5. Solved a Rubik’s cube – yes, after a lot of frustration and unrepeatable words.
6. Donated my hair – no
7. Been stung by a jellyfish – no
8. Taken a Polaroid picture. (Or even shaken one; why yes, I am singing Hey Ya! in my head right now.) – yes, way back when I was in my teens
9. Completed a jigsaw puzzle over 1,000 pieces – yes. It took ages
10. Accidentally (or intentionally) set off a fire alarm – no. But I have set off the smoke detectors in our home numerous times!!
I wonder where I’d land on Vegemite/Marmite. I assume I wouldn’t like it since it seems so polarizing, but maybe I’d love it. I definitely need to make sure to try it one day.
Ha – I laughed over your “unrepeatable words”…
I have also set off smoke detectors in my house more times than I can count 🙁
Oh, I’ve done several of these.
4- yes. When my daughter was a baby, it was recommended we learn sign as people with DS are visual learners in many ways, so signing would help her learn how to talk and give her an alternative means ilof communication. We used Baby Signing Time videos to lean the basics. It really did help. Mostly words not full sentences. Two of my daughters took college classes to use signing as their language requirement. They helped reinforce the skill. However, we have mostly dropped it as she grew and could communicate in other ways.
8- I’m old enough that Polaroids were popular when I was young, and it was so cool to wait, peel off the paper from the film, and then shake the image to dry it. Very fun. And you learned early not to waste film. I’m a bad photographer, so digital photos are a much better thing.
9- I started doing puzzles again a few years ago after going to a lot of medical appointments when the office had a puzzle going in the waiting room. I typically do 1000 pice ones, but my biggest was 2000. I have another 2000 one waiting in the box, but I don’t have a puzzle board big enough. ( 1000 pieces fit on a pice of 20×30 foam board for easy removal from the table at dinner time. )
10- in college- didn’t realizes candles would set it off. Whoops! And my son pulled the fire alarm twice at a certain children’s museum – I can never go back there. ( it was uncovered, set low in the wall, and it had a bench right next to it. A busy 3 yr old boy with a curious streak couldn’t help himself while I was dealing with the baby ).
The rest ? I’m no good with a rubies cube, much to my disappointment. And my hair doesn’t grow long enough that I could cut it off for donation and have much left. Thank goodness never had a jellyfish sting or the rest.
I know Polaroids have made a comeback in recent years; it’s a very tactile experience and I can see the appeal. Though you’re right, digital photos are much cheaper and leave more room for error.
2,000 pieces. I just…can’t even! 500 feels overwhelming to me.
I mean who puts a fire alarm so accessible to small children???? I feel like that has more to do with poor planning than anything. Of course any 3-year-old is going to be curious.
Well, it turns out that I am quite the Woman of Experience here with 7/10 and possibly 8/10. I have never learned sign language or been stung by a jellyfish, and I can’t remember if I’ve ever done a >1,000 piece puzzle. I think I might have tried and it convinced me that 1,000 pieces is my limit.
I learned to solve a Rubik when the boys were small. I’ve done 2×2 up to 5×5. The easiest to solve is the 3×3, and at one point I could do it without looking at the instructions. The 2×2 can be surprisingly hard. I could only solve the 4×4 and 5×5 by looking at the instructions because they’re very complicated.
You were so close to batting a perfect score! 8/10 is impressive!
5×5???? What? How did I not learn you had this sleeper talent when you were visiting me. That is wildly impressive.
John and the kids have all mastered it and they want me to show an interest, but I have precisely zero desire to learn how to solve a cube of any size.
I think this is the most I’ve ever done!? Yeses to those below —
Taken photos in a photo booth. I have some hilarious ones I’ve done with the kids
Cooked with saffron. A bunch of times – it’s so good!
Tasted Vegemite (or Marmite). Salty!
Learned sign language. (umm I know the alphabet? does that count?)
Been stung by a jellyfish. Vague memories of this one summer on the Jersey shore!
Taken a Polaroid picture. My dad had a polaroid camera for a while growing up – it had terrible quality but nothing like instant gratification!
Belle has had a few friends with Polaroids; it’s very fun and interactive (and expensive – wozers!).
Taking photos in a booth sounds very fun and I need to make this happen! We don’t have any photo booths near us (that I know of at least), but maybe at the movie theatre. I’ll have to check next time…
Yes to the photo booth (with my kids when they were little.) And yes to saffron, although it’s been a long time. For the Rubik’s cube, I”ll say kind of… I have solved it with my son’s coaching. He’s a Rubik’s cube expert! Yes to the polaroid and no to the rest (no one would want my hair!)
What a fun memento to have the photo booth photos with your kids <3
My family members WANT to coach me, but for some reason I have zero desire to try to solve a Rubik's cube. Maybe they'll end up wearing me down eventually???
I’ve taken photos in a photo booth, cooked with saffron, taken (and shaken) a Polaroid picture, and completed a jigsaw puzzle over 1,000 pieces. My brother-in-law can do any Rubik’s cube in under two minutes. It’s very impressive, but seems hard!!
It sounds like one’s satisfaction would be incomplete if I didn’t both take AND shake the Polaroid 😉
Let’s see… I am with you on 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9.
I have 100% accidentally set off a fire/smoke alarm. (You must be too new a reader to have seen my deeply embarrassing Popcorn Incident post, lol.)
While I haven’t ever learned sign language, I did take a class when I was a kid and learned how to sign the alphabet. That’s stuck with me. I also remember a bunch of signs from when my kiddo was a baby. Like you, more and thank you. But also hungry and milk. Okay, maybe that’s it, lol.
I feel like it would be fun and satisfying to know how to solve a Rubik’s cube… but I don’t have the patience to learn how to do it.
Now I am very curious about the Embarrassing Popcorn Incident. Do tell…(or send me the link!)
So a few years ago, on my very first day of work at the company I work for during the summer, I was moving some music stands and I knocked one music stand over, into a whole row of music stands, sending them all toppling domino style into the fire alarm. The alarm went off – lights, sirens, all the bells and whistles. We had to clear the building and the fire trucks came. I was so mortified.
Of the rest: I’ve cooked with saffron; whenever we see a photo booth in the wild, our family will pile in; I don’t sign, but I do know most of the alphabet, and the signs for a few things like “milk” “more” “all done” and “Jesus.”; I have a jar of marmite in our pantry right now – I love it on crumpets.
I’ve never been stung by a jellyfish, but my oldest had. She did not enjoy that.
I cannot imagine being stung by a jellyfish is too high on many people’s happy memory list. OUCH!
That would be embarrassing but, also, it could happen to anyone! And it makes for an excellent story!
Are crumpets like English muffins?
I’m back! I’ve made paella plenty of times with saffron and I’ve also set off the smoke alarm from cooking 🙂
My parents had a Poloroid camera back in the day, so I’m sure I used it to take a picture or two.
We do 2000 piece jigsaw puzzles every winter. We usually get 3 done between January – Easter (when I need the dining room table back!)
January – Easter sounds like the perfect time to be holed up inside doing puzzles!
I still don’t know how you come up with these lists. Random, fo’ sho.
And now I have Hey Ya in my head too!
I have a little container of Saffron in my cabinet, and I’ve used it once. Twice?
I only do 1000 piece puzzles. I fear if I had one bigger, it wouldn’t fit on my handy dandy puzzle tray.
Vegemite? NO THANKS!!
I match you on five of your list this time.
Sorry for the song. I can’t get it out of my head.
I’ve never tried Vegemite but I’ve heard enough about it to know it is POLARIZING!
I donated my hair once, in my twenties. I had grown it very long and it was nice and thick at that time. When I finally cut it, it seemed like a good idea to donate it.
I have definitely set off the smoke alarm in my kitchen by accident while cooking. It’s very sensitive.
I’e never done the other things on this list, although I do like puzzles. I stick with 300-500 piece puzzles so they don’t take too long to finish. I would get frustrated with 1,000+ pieces.
I’ve set off my smoke detector in the house, but never a fire alarm in a public building, etc.
300 pieces are my happiest size! Very manageable for someone who isn’t a puzzler.
What is Vegemite/Marmite?? I remember Men at Work singing about “a vegemite sandwich” and thinking it must be Australian because that’s where Men at Work were (are?) from.
I’ve donated my hair.
I learned the sign language alphabet from a book in 5th grade. I think it might have been the Boxcar Children!
I LOVE The Boxcar Children series and that sounds very much like something that could show up in one of the books.
Vegemite and Marmite are similar, but Vegemite is from Australia (and a bit stronger, I think) and Marmite is from the UK.
I’ve done a few of these:
Taken photos in a photo booth – yes
Cooked with saffron – yes
Tasted Vegemite (or Marmite) – of course. It is OK. If I have it is just a smear on toast
Learned sign language. (I know the signs for “more” and “thank you”…) – no
Solved a Rubik’s cube. – no
Donated my hair. – no
Been stung by a jellyfish. – yes, but luckily just one long tentacle across my stomach, and I think it might have just been floating free. It left a welt but was not too painful.
Taken a Polaroid picture. (Or even shaken one; why yes, I am singing Hey Ya! in my head right now.) – no
Completed a jigsaw puzzle over 1,000 pieces. – yes, in a group
Accidentally (or intentionally) set off a fire alarm. – no.
When I wrote down the puzzle one I immediately thought of your family and the huge puzzles you do!
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who hasn’t experienced Polaroids. Now I’m really curious and might have to add this to my to-try list!
Oh, photo booths were the best! I have done that many times, but not in forever. I took a Beginning Sign language class in college and actually did use it when I worked in a special ed classroom with a deaf student. I was never what you would call fluent in it but I did well enough to get by. Had a Polaroid camera at one time. I loved the magic of shaking the picture and watching it become… a picture 🙂 Never got the hang of the Rubik’s cube and never did a puzzle over 1,000 pieces. These days 500 is my comfort zone. Great list, Elisabeth 🙂
Polaroids do sounds like magic. I’m getting antsy to try it for myself!
I think the only one here that I HAVE done is learn sign language, and I know some things but am not proficient at it. I don’t even know what saffron is or vege-who ?
Saffron is a spice and Vegemite is a yeast spread!
I have done 1 & 2. I am not sure about 8. I might have.
Oh wait… yes jellyfish. no fun.
Eeks. Yes. A jellyfish sting sounds awful 🙁 I’m so sorry that’s happened to you.
I have:
Cooked with saffron.
Learned sign language.
Solved a Rubik’s cube.
Taken a Polaroid picture.
Accidentally set off a fire alarm.
Clearly the most fun was cooking with saffron, lol… We’ve actually toyed with the idea of growing our own, but that idea is still in development. 🙂
I have actually taken Sign Language classes several times over the years, but it’s been so long now that I’ve forgotten much – though I think it’d come back if I started practicing again, muscle memory and etc?
I had no idea you could grow saffron yourself. I know NOTHING about the spice or the growing process.
The saffron comes from the stigmas of a type of crocus – so you plant those crocus bulbs in the fall, and when they bloom in the early spring, you can harvest the stigmas for saffron. (I think there’s a drying/preserving process of sorts; we haven’t gotten that far down the plan yet, lol). Double win: gorgeous blooms + delicious spice!
Oh, my goodness – Stacey’s comment prompted me to see if I could remember how to do the ASL alphabet and… I could?! I guess my memory isn’t as terrible as I think it is. At least for random things like this. Important things I need to remember in my daily and work life? Um. We won’t mention that. 😉
One of my favorite pictures is of me and my mother in a photo booth during a girls’ weekend. <3
Otherwise, I think I'm big no, for the rest of these.
[…] the heels of the 13th post in my Never Have I Ever series, it’s time to talk about more life experiences I have under my proverbial […]