Quoth the Raven Nevermore // Photo: Doug Brown, Flickr Creative Commons via Audubon
Sometimes I read blogs about what others are doing and I think, “I will never, ever do that.”
Thrill Seeking
I will never parachute, bungee jump, go ice climbing or scuba diving, or fly a plane.
On the other hand, I have gone river rafting, skiing, and water skiing. I have taken a steel roller coaster ride (and I must say once was enough). I have held big snakes and let a tarantula climb over my hand.
I would climb an indoor rock wall, ride a zip line, or walk on a glass floor at the CN Tower (or at the Grand Canyon) .
Endurance
I will never run a marathon, climb a mountain, swim a channel, sail around the world…or go winter camping!
I could probably walk a half-marathon in about 4 hours?
Discipline
I am not currently motivated enough to play a musical instrument, write a novel, learn to use all the features on my camera, or train my cats to do tricks.
I am disciplined enough that I changed a bad habit this year – I now do all the dishes that need hand-washing every night, instead of every few days 🙂
Age and Appearance
I have lived 50 years without surgically changing my body, so I don’t expect that will change unless something awful happens and I need to be reconstructed. I am open to a knee or hip replacement if I should ever need one, LOL!
Lifestyle
I don’t aspire to spend most of the year travelling, to winter “down south,” to own a motorcycle or a boat, or to splurge on spa visits.
I do limit my commitments enough that I can read books and watch movies every day if I like, and go to as many rock concerts as I want (given how many actually occur in my city, ha ha!)
Vices
I got any potential vices out of my system by the time I was 18! You won’t find me at a casino, a race track, a grow-op or a rifle range. Especially not with a cigar! Yes, I consider all of those vices – I am risk-averse. I don’t even buy lottery tickets!
You can indict me for my candy-eating habit! Oh yeah, and my time online…
Freak-Outs
Sometimes we are just not ourselves. We turn into Bridezilla. We become the mouthy hockey mom. We badger a teacher about our kid’s “undeserved” bad grades. We defend our dog against complaints of barking and nipping. We neglect to provide an excellent reference for an employee. We snap at our parents who want to go to Swiss Chalet with us AGAIN.
I never want to be that person but I know I am – more often than I would like to be. I try to forgive myself and do better.
Holier-Than-Thou
I say I will never go into debt or become obese or watch TV for 6 hours every evening.
But I don’t know where life may take me and I hope others don’t judge too severely if I’m wrong.
Excluding lawlessness, what will you never, ever do?
An Exacting Life 
Very thought provoking and fun post! Great opening image too. I too have no desire to bungee-jump, climb a mountain, or sail around the world. I laughed at your admission that you’d maybe walk a half marathon. Me too, if given enough hours! But I especially agree that we all can endeavor to be non-judgmental, and to ourselves as well as we try to do better.
Thanks! Since yours is the first comment, I am hoping that other commenters won’t find me too judgmental about their activities and “vices”!
OK, well I have climbed several mountains, but I have no desire to bungee jump, sky dive, base jump or any other crazy daredevil sort of thing. I also will NEVER color my hair, wear those crazy high heels that are so popular these days or buy a handbag.
I am chuckling at the idea that it takes discipline to learn a musical instrument. Playing the guitar is what I’ve always done when I’m avoiding something that I really should be doing, so from my perspective it’s the complete opposite! 🙂
Nice! I have stopped colouring my hair and wearing spike heels, and I use a messenger bag! Funny about the musical instrument – as per our conversation last time – I would probably bury my face in a book if I were trying to avoid some other task!
I am with you on the thrillseeking- absolutely no desire to do any activity which involves jumping off high things!
I have climbed mountains- but we only have little mountains in the UK! The idea of a feat of endurance appeals to me more, but I have learnt that it does not appeal enough for me to be committed to the training required!
I never plan to wear heels- or any uncomfortable shoes- again. I much prefer to be able to walk/run/dance rather than totter about and limp!
I have recently decided never to wear nail varnish again- partly because I never bother to keep it looking nice, but mostly because I’m concerned about the chemicals in nail varnish, and would rather not have them on my hands!
Well, I have gone hiking “on” mountains, but never climbed a rock face or anything like that.
I am not a fan of high heels but I would never say never on that one, just in case.
I have given up nail polish too. I suppose there are some safer children’s brands, but I haven’t been motivated to seek them out.
I love how diverse the world is. What’s good for one isn’t good for another. I don’t know what I will never ever do, but I more likely than not will not be doing much thrill seeking at this point. No bungee jumping, parachuting, rocking climbing for me. Besides being pretty risk adverse, I’m much too frugal to splash on things like that. 🙂
Frugal – good point! I agree about diversity – I am glad others aren’t like me – and I enjoy reading about thrills and feats I will never achieve!
I won’t get a piercing or a tattoo. Won’t bunging jump, sky dive, white water raft or scuba dive. Will never go on a scary theme park ride ever again – too old and wizened. I may have cosmetic surgery and do have Botox. I don’t, can’t, won’t run or jog.
Whether people do or don’t do any of those, never bothers me. And I don’t judge.
Slightly different about obesity, debt, drug and alcohol use and gambling. I can be judgemental there when children are affected or people have to be bailed out and leave others in the lurch or become ill. Except for alcohol, none of those things attract me.
And I hope I am never the type of person I don’t like, except I know I can be a nagging, screaming harridan to my immediate family sometimes. But I never go off at other people – though I do swear in the traffic but not directed at others.
And, is this slightly too goody two shoes? But I won’t ever break parking rules? Reeks of selfishness, and that more than the illegality of it offends me.
Great list, L! Besides pierced ears from age 13, I won’t be getting any more piercings either, and I don’t have any tattoos. I also have no intention of ever running or jogging.
I don’t argue or yell or swear at people either; I just give them frosty looks like the Dowager Countess.
I am conscientious about parking but less so about speed – funny inconsistency there! I think, like you, it’s more of a courtesy thing.
“I don’t argue or yell or swear at people either; I just give them frosty looks like the Dowager Countess.”
I swear, librarians must learn to give those frosty looks in training! ALL librarians are adept at this. 🙂
The behaviour in our libraries is pretty bad and requires more than the Evil Eye! We have to go confront them! I guess I missed that unit in Library School.
Very interesting – I do that too, reading along and thinking occasional “never, evers”! Often, I like other peoples choices but they’re just not mine.
Like you, I’ll never parachute or (especially) bungee jump. I’ll never take a nude / half-clad selfie and post it online to “embrace my body.” I’ll never do drugs. I’ll never be so frugal that I work out the comparative cost of (1) leaving the light on to leave a room momentarily OR (2) turning it off but then back on.
There are lots more – it’s a fun topic!
I agree with you on all of these apart from the electricity usage…hangs head in extreme frugality shame….lol!
Bah, I am not so body-conscious. I just rightly assume my readers would rather view other subjects 🙂 I always turned the lights off when leaving a room until someone challenged me on it and I looked up the right answer online. I think everyone should be as frugal as they like at home, but bend to social norms somewhat elsewhere – for example, I wouldn’t go to a fine restaurant with a friend at dinner time and order a dessert to share and a glass of water, because I would be affecting the waiter’s income for the evening.
Basically most of my ‘never ever’ list is to do with heights and drugs!
I am afraid of very confined spaces. I once had a chance to visit an impressive cave if I slithered through a narrow tunnel on my stomach to get into it. I wouldn’t. I don’t mind elevators, though.
How wierd that you bloggedl this as I want to do this http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/hres/DWT%20Kayaking%20For%20Web.pdf for my June birthday having seen it on BBC Countryfile. Think I can manage a kayak now I am over. 50
That sounds great, Angela! A 2-hour beginner excursion makes it sound manageable. I am OK with a canoe but have never learned to kayak. Wouldn’t rule it out, though!
Let’s see…
I’ll never dry hard core drugs (I’d consider weed brownies, but fear how I’d react to it). I will never smoke cigarettes, cigars, etc. (have smoked hookah).I will never run a marathon or do a triathlon. As for everything else, I’m pretty open!
I have to laugh about the heels because I *love* them! If I had an excuse to wear high wedges or heels every day, I would in a heart beat.
I am probably not so open. Oh well!
I hesitate to say never but it’s not likely that I’ll do any activity that requires intense physical training (deadlift 200 pounds, run a marathon, etc.), anything terribly risky. But about illegal activities . . I don’t agree with mindless rule following and I have been known to break some rules occasionally to make a point about how needless they are (after thinking it through of course – I don’t rush to break laws daily!). It’s illegal to hang laundry outside, for example, but I do it anyway.
I don’t wear heels but I do wear 1″ platforms (2.5 cm); I don’t smoke or do drugs, but I drink alcohol and on and on. I try not to judge others, but I do sometimes. Thankfully every day is a new one 🙂
Agree for sure about unjust laws! My opinions about some things change daily, but the activities I mentioned would be really out of character for me to do.
Hello, I just found your blog and I am enjoying going back and reading your previous posts! I am always fascinated to find out what other people like and why, and to try and find other people who have similar interests to mine, which is not always easy to do in day to day life. Most of the items that you will never do I can definitely say I will not be doing either! I love a list however; books, projects, to do, grocery. Thank you for the interesting subject!
Hi Shannon, thanks! I find the same thing, that it’s not always easy to connect over interests in real life (or the geeky, listy ones, anyway). You could always write a blog, too – I`d read it 🙂
Thanks! I was thinking about starting a blog but I was afraid I wouldn’t keep it up enough or it wouldn’t be interesting enough. Still thinking about it! What motivated you to take the plunge?
I used to write a music blog but the site wrapped up. It was fun to connect with like-minded people online, and I wanted to find readers (and writers) who liked making lists and tracking things and otherwise being kinda geeky. It’s not so easy to talk about those things in real life! Also, I just like writing. Having a little audience is a plus! I hope you try it. We really don’t mind what you write about 🙂
See also:
https://anexactinglife.com/2013/08/20/why-do-you-blog/
I think you well know I’m a thrill seeker! I love the new and different (went stand up paddle boarding on the weekend, but I’m having trouble loading photos, so the post will come with those). I love doing things that stretch my boundaries (like the half marathon, and sky diving and and and).
I can’t imagine ever getting a tattoo (and don’t really think most people think long term enough with theirs – they are SO prevalent and prominent of late). I would get a tattoo on my wrist if I was found to have a serious medical condition or allergy though – I think that’s incredibly smart! I have my ears pierced, can’t imagine anything else getting pierced (like additional face etc) cause I think it would be unprofessional for me, but maybe I would?!
I HATED practicing the cello, so I don’t have that discipline! And I’m not that strong at my running program, bargaining days off and the like!
And… I park illegally – over the lines, in a driveway (short term – when I might be dropping something in a letter box nearby, not for an hour or anything). I’d never park in a disabled spot (though one pool has 12 or something, seems RIDICULOUS!) I also occasionally speed, but not extensively either. I even try not to pay for parking, it seems a little silly for it to flip flop between streets and sides of the road!
You and thrill seeking – I do know that! I imagine it would be embarrassing if you get a tattoo when you are 18 and LOVE dolphins and you don’t feel the need to declare that love when you are 35! I know some people who won’t pay for parking. I don’t feel strongly about it. If a parking fee has me walking 25 minutes in the rain, or has me grumbling to my co-workers for an hour, then I don’t think it’s worth the savings. But I will arrive early or scout out nearby places in advance sometimes!
I am with Amanda – I try never to say NEVER because some of my never statements have come back to haunt and mock me. For example, ‘I’ll never move to Yellowknife’…oops, ‘I’ll never own a pure-bred dog’…oops, ‘I’ll never pay more than $X for a house’…oops, etc. I feel superstitious about it now (I think I’ve even said, ‘I’ll never be silly and superstitious’ too 🙂 ). However, I’ll say, I am unlikely to sky dive, bungee jump, jog, tattoo myself, allow any spider to crawl on me on purpose, eat a filter-feeder (mussels etc.) or smoke. Fun post!
Thanks, Lisa. I am sure some of mine will come back and bite me, too!
I will never indict you for your candy eating habit! 🙂
And, I will never, ever skydive or bungee jump. No way.
Thanks for that! It’s funny how I don’t like activities that make me feel like I’ll die?
Never say never! wondered where you were your blog went missing yesterday, no posts only your header?
I wasn’t aware of that, thanks!
That’s a great post and so interesting, thank you! As far as I am concerned, I think that I will never smoke or do drugs (never tried). Plus, I will never become a coffee addict (please, don’t get offended, coffee-drinkers!!).
And I am not a piercing/tattoo fan either but I think that I would give a shot to dangerous activities, have never tried, though. When it comes to discipline, it varies from non- existent to strict but it highly depends on my own will power, which- sadly-is rather complicated.
Thanks, Alice. I am a coffee addict and you are wise to avoid it 🙂 Mm, I understand about the willpower – in my case anyway, it varies all over the place!
Hello Dar – this has only just come through on my reader so I’m late to the party.
Never say never has been my thoughts for years – Yes Tatts and Drugs (for me) are a ‘never’ but I have changed my mind over things quite frequently over the years. As you’ve pointed out ‘never wanting to be that person’ and actually being sometimes happens – In minor matters I’ve been caught before after saying “I never do that”.
Take care
Cathy
Well, I’ve been caught out on the major things, too – I never thought I’d get divorced, or move across the country, or live in the US, or speak at conferences. Life happens!
This is not a tattooed, pierced, druggy crowd and I concur.
No black diamond skiing, ever. I can picture myself in a body cast all too well.
No computer games. Why?
No sushi, Ever.
I could get you on the water in a kayak in about 15 minutes; I don’t do rough, open water–ever– but calm waters are so lovely to be on without worrying about depth.
Hi Lane, I noticed that! I gave up skiing after about 4 outings and a few too many falls for comfort. Being of a certain age, I grew up on 8-bit computer games like Pac-Man and Frogger, and I have never adapted to 3D gaming! I tried sushi against my better judgment, and now I occasionally go for the vegetarian ones (avocado and yam!) I really should try kayaking – I want to learn how to roll. Lots of people do sea kayaking here on flat water.
I agree about the thrill-seeking – I have no desire to jump out of a plane EVER!
I have never had anything pierced or dyed my hair, but who knows what might happen in the future 🙂
Wimp that I am, I think the steel roller coaster was the scariest “intentional thrill” I’ve attempted. I literally felt like I was going to die. then I found out they design them that way on purpose. Ack!
Meh, piercings or hair colour – not permanent! (Although I have had quite a few younger employees with scars on their eyebrows or noses from former piercings!)
LOl I never say NEVER because it is nearly a sure thing that as soon as I say I will never do something, I end up doing it! Fortunately I don’t have any vices to swear off (I dont think Baskin Robbins counts…) and yes, I will probably color my hair forever 🙂
I would hate to “inventory” the things (and people) I’ve changed my mind about!
Something a lot of bloggers do that I will never do: keep chickens. I’m scared of chickens and also find them nasty. 🙂 But I don’t judge anyone for doing it. And I do love fresh eggs.
Hello! That is a really good one – I won’t be keeping chickens, either! Way back when my blog began, I made a list of Real Food tasks that were beyond my tolerance level:
https://anexactinglife.com/2012/02/06/easy-medium-and-hard-homemade/
I have no plans to grow vegetables, either!
Definitely not the Bungee Jump – I even say they will have to knock me out at work to get me down the iron fire escape.
Not fond of heights, eh?
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