- Watched an episode of Bluey.
- Travelled outside of Canada over the Christmas holiday.
- Been in a row boat (though I’ve spent countless hours in canoes).
- Permed my hair.
- Learned how to tie a bow tie.
- Made or received a collect call.
- Been an extra in a movie.
- Visited any Canadian province west of Ontario.
- Played Minecraft. (Indy is happy to pick up my slack.)
- Changed a flat tire.
Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5.
Your turn.
- Who’s watched Bluey or played Minecraft?
- Anyone been an extra in a movie?
- I know some of you live west of Ontario; how many of you have never visited Nova Scotia?
- Do you know how to change a flat tire?
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Birchie
I have to say that it’s been fun seeing your posts pop up last thing at night instead of early in the morning. I’m on Pacific time, so it’s way past my bedtime at home.
So yes let’s do late night Never Have I Ever!
Watched an episode of Bluey – nope
Travelled outside of Canada over the Christmas holiday – I’ve never been away from home on the holidays. One year I was in Canada on Canada Day and enjoyed the fireworks, and another year I was there the week before Thanksgiving and enjoyed seeing all of the prep going on.
Been in a row boat (though I’ve spent countless hours in canoes). As far as I can remember, no.
Permed my hair. No but oh geez I wanted to so badly back in the 80s when perms were The Thing.
Learned how to tie a bow tie. Nope!
Made or received a collect call. Yep! You’ll be able to figure out everyone’s ages from how they answer this question.
Been an extra in a movie. Nope!
Visited any Canadian province west of Ontario. Not yet, but I have a plane ticket for later this summer so does that count?
Played Minecraft. (Indy is happy to pick up my slack.) Nope.
Changed a flat tire. Nope. Hopefully I will never have to, but at the same time it would be a good idea to get a refresher on how to do it just in case.
Elisabeth
Hi Late-Night Birchie!
Canadian Thanksgiving is such a casual holiday compared to what goes on in the US, but I love having it in early October!
I’m going to let the plane ticket count. Aren’t I in a generous mood this morning 🙂
Catrina
Haha, my answers definitely give me away — not from North America, no kids, and 57 years old! 😅
No Bluey or Minecraft here
Never been to Canada
Big yes to permed hair (hello, 80s!) and rowing a boat
No to collect calls, movie extra roles, or flat tires (thankfully!)
I tried to learn the tie thing from my husband, but my brain noped out — too many steps!
I never learned cartwheels and handstands as a kid… and now I’m stubbornly trying to master them as an adult. Regrets! 😄
Elisabeth
To be fair, I feel like there is a near-zero chance I will be called upon to tie a tie. And, with a handy little thing called YouTube I’m supposing I could figure it out if absolutely necessary. Still, it is definitely a skillset I am missing.
Both my kids can do cartwheels (neither – to my knowledge – can do handstands), and I’m jealous. Like you, I never learned how to cartwheel as a kid. Unlike you, I think I will skip attempting to learn now. I feel like with my utter lack of coordination it would surely end badly!
mbmom11
I have never done #7 or #9. I watched a Bluey episode on YouTube to see what the fuss is about – charming. I traveled to NS for a Christmas to see my new nephew ( goodness, it was cold and icy that year). I’ve been in row boats and canoes ( in my youth living near a lake), permed my hair constantly in the 80s and early 90s – had to get curls and big hair! – stopped once I got pregnant with my first child and then never again ( I miss that wavy hair), I’ve done a bowl tie for one son how went through a phase and one for another for a Dr Who costume.
Collect calls all the time in my youth – no such thing as calling cards or Skype then. I visited BC in 2019 to see my sister- the Capilano Suspension bridge a favorite memory. I’ve started changing a tire twice in my life, and each time some lovely gents have come along and taken over – bless them!
I can’t do cartwheels – even as a kid my body would just stop in the middle. I was always envious of others gymnastic prowess. I’m too bottom heavy to ever consider learning.
I have watched my kids play minecraftcand enjoy seeing their creations- but I’ve never really liked video games. Life is hard enough; I don’t need to add extra world and challenges! I also get nauseated watching the motion of a lot of games, so no thank you!
Elisabeth
I have heard nothing but good things about Bluey. I tried to convince my kids to try it a while back and they were a very firm NO. I do miss those “little” shows. The Paw Patrol theme song brings back so many memories!
I feel the exact same way about video games. Normal life is hard enough! Watching Indy astonishes me. He can do things so quickly and there is a lot more strategy to Minecraft than I realized. I’m trying to believe there is something virtuous and helpful in him enjoying it? Thankfully, he has a great group of friends that likes to play outside, so he is never at a loss for physical movement. But when he’s inside, Minecraft is never far from his mind.
Stacey in the UK
Watched an episode of Bluey – never
Travelled outside of Canada over the Christmas holiday – no for outside the UK
Been in a row boat (though I’ve spent countless hours in canoes) – once or twice and never again
Permed my hair – when I was much younger I had short back and sides and a poodle perm on top (it was s thing in the 80s)
Learned how to tie a bow tie – nope
Made or received a collect call – is this a reverse charge call? If so once when a teenager
Been an extra in a movie – never
Visited any Canadian province west of Ontario – never been to Canada but hope to one day. I live in England and have been to Scotland, Wales and Republic of Ireland. Never been to Northern Ireland though.
Played Minecraft. (Indy is happy to pick up my slack.) – never and have no interest
Changed a flat tire – several times unfortunately.
mbmom11
Oh, the poodle perm! My sister had one – such a cute style! And yes, collect call is reverse charges. Wed do it to get a ride hone- the call would be enough – the parent would not accept the call but knew it was time to pick us up- if we didn’t have a dime or quarter for the payphone! Ha, that just dated me even more!
Elisabeth
I did the same thing with long-distance (not collect, but the same principle): my parents would be waiting for a call from me and wouldn’t answer it but that would be the clue I was ready for whatever we had pre-arranged.
Elisabeth
Yes, a collect call is one you can make for free, with the receiving party responsible for payment.
I hope you make it to Canada. It’s lovely. I’ve never been to Scotland, Wales, Ireland, or England so we need to do a house swap so I can see your part of the world and you can see mine 🙂
Katy @PracticalWalk
I’ve never done most of those too, but I have permed my hair.
Nicole MacPherson
Oh lordy, how I wish I never permed my hair. I had so many perms! Especially when I was a teen, it was all about the spiral perm and the vertical teased bangs.
I was an extra in an independent short film! The scene was a yoga class and I was in the background.
Not only have I never changed a flat tire, I don’t even know how to pop the hood.
Elisabeth
I 100% see you as a perm lady, Nicole and I LOVE THAT!
That’s so cool you were an extra, and being there as a yoga participant is spot on.
Okay. I laughed about the hood. I used to know if my old vehicle but will admit I have zero idea how to pop the hood of the SUV I drive now. THAT’S WHY I HAVE CAA. Listen, I’m sure I could learn, but I wouldn’t want to put CAA out of business and they need women like us who have no desire to learn how to do car fixes. I can cook and clean and birthed two children, but changing a tire is a step too far.
Maureen
Bluey is the best! My granddaughter started watching it, and it has morphed into me and her mom loving it too. Some of the things are just so wacky! You definitely have to watch an episode. And, of course, lessons to learn for the littles. Minecraft is another whole story that I won’t go to.
Put Germany and their Christmas markets on your bucket list. It is magical! And then you can come home and really enjoy Christmas. We are usually always traveling for Christmas as we have family all over.
I have been in a row boat. My daughter grew up with The Little Mermaid and called them “Kiss The Girl” boats, so naturally we had to try one when she was little.
Permed my hair – yes. It was all the rage in the early 80’s. And during that period, you still had to use land line phone and call collect, especially if you were traveling. And long distance calls were always after 8:00 pm.
Been an extra in a movie – no. But I was in a commercial once for When Calls The Heart. It was showing a lot of us on line when we were visiting the stars at their convention. It is filmed near Vancouver so the next answer is Yes, I’ve been to a little bit of British Columbia. I’ve also been to Ontario and Quebec. The whole rest of Canada is on my bucket list.
I have helped people change flat tires on a car, but never did one myself. But I have changed countless bicycle tires. I am always getting flats. Had to change the outer tire to a stronger rubber so I wouldn’t get as many flats!
Elisabeth
I have heard such wonderful things about Bluey.
John has been to Germany at Christmas and the markets sound amazing!
“Kiss the Girl” boats. Aww. That’s so sweet.
Jenny
Yes, the collect phone call one is funny- of course I have (and I’m 59 years old in case you can’t tell.) No to all the other ones, except- when I was working in Germany there were a couple Christmases where I was there instead of home. But I didn’t specifically travel to be away during Christmas- it just happened that way.
Through the years, several people have showed me how to change a flat tire. But I’ve never done it myself, and I doubt I would attempt it unless the situation were dire.
Elisabeth
I am hoping to make it to my death bed without changing a flat tire. Will report back 😉
Jan Coates
Well, I’m quite familiar with Bluey and her family, and it’s pretty adult-friendly, as well as innocent short snappers for toddlers (and the Australian accents!) And collect calls were a way of life during my university days in the 70s and 80s – a lifeline home by times:)
Elisabeth
I’ve heard it’s a wonderful show and I do love accents. My kids were adamantly opposed to watching it, but I know teens are getting into the show as well so fingers crossed. I miss the sweet shows playing in the background (Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol and things of that ilk were an era, now behind me).
Kate
Well, we are just about half and half on this one. I LOVE Bluey — it’s wholesome but not saccharine, the parents are multifaceted characters (one episode has the mom headed out the door for a run, one episode has her lying on the couch with a heating pad and bag of chips, the dad sometimes gets annoyed with the kids but then turns it around and apologizes when he gets it wrong BUT it doesn’t fall into that horrible trope of ‘Dad being an idiot’). Your kids are probably too old for the storylines but honestly, sometimes I keep watching it by myself after my kids are on to the next thing 😉
We traveled to Hawaii over Christmas one year with my whole family and it was amazing, but I wouldn’t want to do that every year. After we got married, and when the oldest kids were still preschool-aged, we used to fly back to visit family in Washington state every year during the week between Christmas and New Year’s and would celebrate Christmas with my family of origin then. The first year we didn’t do that was December 2020 — Covid Christmas, when it just seemed risky to fly and potentially get stuck out there if someone got Covid. And then we pivoted to flying out in July/August instead and staying at home for Christmas itself.
I spent many hours in rowboats as a kid but probably not as an adult that I can remember! There’s something so satisfying about the rotation of the oars in the oarlocks and feeling the grain of wood pushing against your palms.
And my Canadian escapades have *all* been west of Toronto — well, I’ve flown through the Toronto airport, but otherwise I’ve been to BC and Alberta and that’s it. I would LOVE to visit Montreal and Nova Scotia!
I’ve never done the other things and don’t think I probably ever will! Definitely not the perm, hahaha. Although I did bleach my hair with Sun-In spray as a teen! I don’t think that even exists any more.
Elisabeth
I’ve travelled within Canada a number of times over Christmas and quite frankly, hated it. Leaving home over the holidays is just the worst. One year we drove to Ontario and there were 6 unique legs to the trip (round-trip). Every single one we had horrific weather, and Belle was sick the WHOLE TIME. We said never again and haven’t travelled over Christmas since.
Suzanne
I am with you on 5, 7, 9, and 10. And I guess if I interpret your Christmas bullet in terms of living in the US, I have also never been away from home over that holiday.
Elisabeth
I should have clarified! Yes – I have been to various spots in Canada (Ontario east) for Christmas, but never out of the country proper. It has been years since I’ve been out of NS for Christmas now, and I quite like being home and settled for the holiday.
Rebecca Jo
ohhhh – if you were a child of the 80’s – you’d do the collect call thing LOL
My parents would go on weekend trips – or I would as a young adult – & you’d call using a payphone – doing collect calls to let them know you were there. Its wild to think about that now.
Elisabeth
So much has changed! I was talking to a librarian today and her daughter has been away all week on a trip. The mom was lamenting that her daughter hasn’t been responding to texts promptly, but then also said she realizes if she had gone on a similar trip she wouldn’t have been in contact with her parents at all!
Alexandra
Oh, I love these posts, they’re such fun. And no, I’ve never watched Bluey or played Minecraft or learnt how to tie a bow tie. Though I had to learn how to wear a tie in the military! And, as someone from that era, yes, yes I’ve made and received a collect call on many occasion. And guess what? I was an extra in a movie. Ha! But no, as of yet, I have no been west of Ontario. But hopefully, one day, that will change.
And, for anyone who’s interested, I did my own Never Have I Ever post today.
Elisabeth
Well…now I need to know what movie!!!
Michelle G.
I have never done any of these things either, except I often made collect calls to my parents back in high school. It was the only option as my school was in a different zone and was a long-distance call. What a pain that was! I remember my dad trying to teach me how to change a flat tire – in one ear and out the other!
Elisabeth
A different zone for school! Argh. So frustrating. I’ve heard of that happening within a town and what. a. nuisance. Now I never think of long distance because if it’s not free with my cell phone, I’m using WhatsApp. Times have changed!
Ally Bean
Who’s watched Bluey or played Minecraft? I’ve never done either of these
Anyone been an extra in a movie? I auditioned to be an extra in Seabiscuit, got to the point of having my photo taken, signing the NDA, but was never called.
I know some of you live west of Ontario; how many of you have never visited Nova Scotia? As an American I’ve not visited Nova Scotia, but have been to Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta.
Do you know how to change a flat tire? In theory, yes I do. We had to learn that in high school in order to pass our drivers training class.
Elisabeth
Well, I am certifiably impressed you got to the NDA stage with Seabiscuit! What a great movie/story/book.
Central Calif. artist Jana
NEVER perm your hair. Weird chemicals, unpredictable outcome, unmanageable growing out (speaking from experience—last LAST EVER perm was in 1998.)
Who needs to tie a bow-tie?? Such a silly-looking emasculating thing for a man to wear. Ties are inexplicable anyway—Blessed be the tie that binds…suicide in installations?
It would be prudent to know how to change a flat tire. (I’ve done it under supervision but it was in the last century, some time before the final perm hair abuse episode.)
Elisabeth
I have never permed my hair and assume I am unlikely to at this point (I do actually know someone my age who perms her hair; it looks lovely, but I’m too chicken to try myself).
Diane
ooh these are always fun.
I’ve watched many episodes of Bluey, but I haven’t played Minecraft.
We travel a lot over the Christmas holiday. I’m on the fence. On the one hand it’s one of the only times we have to travel. O the other hand it’s hard to explain Santa to the kids.
Haven’t been on a row boat.
I tried to get a perm once and it didn’t stick. This was when i was a teenager.
I do know how to tie a bow tie.
I feel like I’ve made a collect call before. Can’t remember when. it might have even been from a phone booth.
Wouldn’t it be fun to be an extra in a movie? I know some people who have done it. One person got to sit in a ferris wheel all day.
When we were in elementary school my parents took us on a great Canadian road trip from our home in Ontario all the way to Vancouver.
I don’t understand Minecraft.
I have indeed changed a flat tire. A couple times.
Elisabeth
I feel like in your line of work, knowing how to tie a bow tie (or regular neck tie) would come up quasi-regularly?
The Ferris Wheel would be great until you need to use the bathroom or you discover a hornet’s nest under your seat!!
I don’t understand Minecraft but it is a lot more nuanced than I first realized. Goodness, there is A LOT to the game. And I’m happy to let someone else enjoy it and leave me out of it!
Ernie
I have not ever watched Bluey or played Minecraft. I have a kid in my daycare who almost exclusively wears Bluey – so I feel well acquainted with Bluey.
I was gonna say No about the extra in the movie, but then I remembered that I was in the football stadium in college when they filmed the movie Rudy. I can’t see myself, but I’m there. They held up signs during half time that said, RUDY and we all cheered RUDY.
I had a perm freshman year of high school. My hair was short and I think i thought a perm would get it to look like everyone else’s hair. Yeah, not so much. I looked awful. Like a grandma.
Elisabeth
YOU’RE IN RUDY!!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! Rudy is such an epic movie and I can’t believe you were there for the filming of it! I am star-struck, Ernie <3
And I'm chuckling over the grandma hair. I think it's hilarious to look back at yearbooks from that era where EVERYONE has grandma hair (and giant glasses and super-teased bangs).
Jacquie
These are such fun posts! No, to Bluey(had to look it up), Minecraft and bow tie. I don’t remember if I rowed a row boat, but I’ve rowed canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Perms were my staple through the 80s and early 90s. I have made and accepted many collect calls. I live in BC and have visited Alberta and had dinner in Kindersley, Saskatchewan. We did a driving trip through Georgia and South Carolina one year and loved Savannah, Georgia so much we went back a couple of years later for Christmas. It was magical! I have not been an extra in a movie, but our car was. We have a 1955 Ford Fairlane that was used in a TV movie about Ted Bundy. I have not changed a flat tire; however, I have changed my winter tires over to summer tires a few times. My husband is/was (retired) an auto mechanic, so this was done in our driveway with his supervision.