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5 things we have done (admirable, illegal, amazing, unusual etc)

(109 Posts)
Skydancer Thu 09-Oct-25 20:48:22

Following on from the thread 5 things we haven’t done, how about 5 different things we HAVE done? Unusual or amazing, illegal or admirable for example?
As for me:
I’ve been a whistleblower (all in the newspapers);
I crossed a country on my own at age 17 to meet a boy I’d only known for a week;
I’ve hitchhiked alone;
I’ve bought shares in a pub;
I’ve befriended someone online and travelled half way round the world and met up with them (very successfully).
How about you?

Bluecat Sat 11-Oct-25 17:59:48

Won a writing competition and went to the recording of my play for radio. Was asked to adapt it for television and met the (fairly) famous actor who was going to direct it. Didn't like him but was pleased with the TV play.

Survived very risky surgery, having said "No" twice to one of the nursing staff who tried to persuade me (twice) to "let nature take its course" and die.

Danced with my small daughter and Black Annis, an all-female Morris dancing side. Exhausting.

Married a man from a different culture despite strong opposition from his parents and some other relatives. They got used to me in time and I think his mum got quite fond of me, but his dad was never really happy about it. We've been married for 48 years now.

Confronted the man who assaulted my young teenage daughter and told him to his face that he was a child molester. When he told me to stop saying it or he would sue me for slander, I told him you can't be sued for telling the truth. (This might not sound very remarkable but I am normally quite a timid person.)

GrammarGrandma Sat 11-Oct-25 16:43:33

Had my appendix removed by Enid Blyton's husband (I was 6).
Was a (non-sexual) groupie for Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.
Dated three famous men, an actor, a philosopher and a TV producer, all before they were famous.
Have had 125 books published so far.
Have sung in a choir in the Barbican, Festival Hall and Snape Maltings.
Bonus achievement - been with my husband for 55 years.

Mollygo Sat 11-Oct-25 16:27:28

1. Gone up in a hot air balloon
2. Had poems published
3. Won a teaching award
4. Climbed a rock face and abseiled down
5. Stuck to an eating /exercise plan. Now need clothes 2 sizes smaller and no longer pre diabetic.

Joolz62 Sat 11-Oct-25 16:15:12

I met 'Len Fairclough' in our local market. He was doing a meet and greet. I was 14. I had my first child at 19. My last child at 44, he was a little suprise baby. I have 4 amazing children and 6 equally amazing Grandchildren. I qualified as an adult nurse at 46, after spending 3 years at university. Yes, I had my last child during my training. Im now 63 and looking back I wonder how I managed it all. Im very proud of my family.

Diplomat Sat 11-Oct-25 16:00:18

1. Married for 41years, two wonderful children and 4 beautiful grandchildren. My greatest achievement.
2. My uncle was in The Guiness Book of Records.
3. I have met and have Bjorn Borg's autograph.
4. I survived 39years in teaching!
5. I have been confronted with an alsatian guard dog who should not have been off of his lead. Very scary.

Angelafeet Sat 11-Oct-25 15:50:43

Worked in UAE in 70s things were very basic
Hot air balloon ride when I’m sacred of heights
Safari in Serengeti
Survived the death of my 2nd Baby
Going on to have 2 amazing daughters and 6 fantastic grandchildren

Romola Sat 11-Oct-25 15:30:33

Thanks for starting this great thread, Skydancer. I'm in awe of so many.
Do you do aerobatics, by the way?

polly123 Sat 11-Oct-25 15:19:43

Accepted my degree from Ted Hughes (the poet)

Had 5 poems published.

Was proposed to in the Sistine Chapel.

Whiff Sat 11-Oct-25 15:11:59

Nothing earth shattering
Survived my husband dieing .
Survived having jaundice even thought most people died with my bilirubin levels
Moved house on my own.
Go on holiday on my own via train .
Looked after people on my own until they died.

Living my life to the full . Going to exercise classes . Meeting friends off GN in the flesh. Making jams ,chutneys and marmalades my way . Joining groups .

No idea if any of this counts .

Kate1949 Sat 11-Oct-25 15:01:32

Yes more please. I'll cheekily add a few more.

I have appeared on Desert Island Discs (the people's version).
I have been to the top of The Empire State Building despite a fear of lifts.
Been asked to be a go-go dancer on a TV show where I would have met several big stars, including my idols. My lack of confidence stopped me.
Been called 'A bit of a one' by Tom Jones when I asked him for two autographs, one for my friend.

Crossstitchfan Sat 11-Oct-25 14:41:50

DollyRocker

I'd have to name change, mine are tabloid worthy

Cone on then! Let’s hear them! Pleeeease!

Crossstitchfan Sat 11-Oct-25 14:40:06

Wow!! I thought my five things were quite special until I read everyone else’s! What amazing things you have done, and I think some of you could have written books! (It’s not too late!)
They were really interesting. Any chance we could do this again?

DollyRocker Sat 11-Oct-25 14:39:03

I'd have to name change, mine are tabloid worthy

friendlygingercat Sat 11-Oct-25 14:24:17

Taught as an American university for a year

Gave a motivational speech at a gala charity night

Frightened an obscene caller so much he rang back and apologised.

Fought off a home invasion with a breadknife

Was photographed at the the Taj Mahal in the seat where Diana sat

Romola Sat 11-Oct-25 14:17:07

Illegal:
Aged 14, went to an X film, Expresso Bongo, Cliff Richard's first film, very mild compared with X film nowadays.
Aged 17, went to another X film, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. Seen by teacher who said nothing.
Showing off:
Aged 17, three of us hoisted a,black bra and a white bra up the school flagpole.
Proud of:
Aged 60-ish, learned to fly and got my PPL (DH had got his at 17, so...)
Aged 77, wrote and spoke the eulogy at DH's funeral. Well, I was super-proud to have been his wife.

Frenchgalinspain Sat 11-Oct-25 14:03:28

1) Published my own digital Pdf magazine in 4 languages since 2016.

2) Crossed the blue pond to study abroad for 3 years ( for my Masters ) ..

3) Travelled to both China & Hong Kong ..

4) Have interviewed some well known Daytime T.V. Actors & Actresses for a first time article in a major international publication.

5) Left France for Spain, to marry a Madrileño, and we are still together ( 32 years ago ) and had twin daughters, now both married and moms. (Note: we met in France and hubs was lost and asked if I spoke English .. He was so thankful, he invited me for lunch the next day. )

SeaWoozle Sat 11-Oct-25 13:55:23

Sorry, I put 6! Got carried away!

SeaWoozle Sat 11-Oct-25 13:54:12

Horde, not horse!!

SeaWoozle Sat 11-Oct-25 13:53:17

Such an interesting thread. It's too easy to focus on what we haven't done and be berated for bragging about what we HAVE done! Anyway, here's my list. No bragging, just stuff I've done.

1. Flown over Kielder Forest/Water in a military helicopter watching an exercise in full swing below us.

2. Wrote a song for the hospice where I worked which raised quite a lot of money for it.

3. Stood in-between a horse of CRS riot police with tear gas and refugees to stop them being harmed. Absolutely terrifying but nothing happened and bizarrely my French came in very handy in that moment.

4. On a lighter note, I've been lucky to meet a couple of my music idols a few times which always makes me happy. Martyn Joseph and Merry Hell Band.

5. Helped create two amazing children who have flown the nest and are doing great things, working with vulnerable children and young people.

6. Equally lucky to have found the love of my life 18 years ago and we spend quite a bit of time going on adventures. Most recently Switzerland, Ireland and Romania.

Fartooold Sat 11-Oct-25 13:32:44

Delivered undiagnosed twins as a student midwife, they were fine phew!

Adopted 6 children with special needs.

Bought a tumbled down large Victorian house.

Told my stepmother what I thought of her, not good!

Am waiting for the fifth!

TheWeirdoAgain60 Sat 11-Oct-25 13:02:45

1- On 10 September 2024, I was at work and fell down a flight of stairs. The left side of my face was hugely swollen and bruised, a top tooth knocked out, and various injuries to my back, neck, ribs, right side, both knees, right ankle and right wrist, and my boobs, but amazingly, no breakages, fractures, dislocations, etc. Just a huge amount of pain and throbbing headaches for a week!

2-I quit my flat to live from my car for almost 2 years, showering at 24/7/365 truck stops and having meals from my car boot and under Basha covers.

3-In 2015, I was rushed to the hospital with sepsis in my left leg and foot, both of which had swollen to huge agonising proportions and told I had 48 hours to live if they couldn't catch it in time .....I was lying there, almost screaming with pain, drugged up to the eyeballs and told the lovely German doctor ''It's only death, there's far worse things I could get!''

4-I worked as a bus driver for a couple of years. One dark night shift, the last one, so I started at 9 pm and would get back to the depot at 12:30 am, I was getting in the cab. There was just one man at the stop waiting for me, and he jumped on and groped my bum, so I turned around, punched him in the guts, then, as he doubled over, I punched his face twice so he had a broken nose and a black eye, then kneed him in his danglies. I then pushed him off and he went flying onto the pavement, screaming in agony as his face, ribs and danglers all exploded and were bloody, then I drove off! It's lucky I could defend myself - after training as a wrestler - as I dread to think what he would have done to me if I couldn't!

5-Aged 15 and at school I was about the only pupil who stood up for a male pupil with behaviour problems, he was physically violent and terryfying but while most other pupils saw him as a vicious thug, I saw him as someone with serious issues, maybe being abused at home or something, so I helped him and stood up for him when nobody else would, and the teachers treated him like filth. He wasn't evil; she was scared and abused.

So that's my 5 claims to fame!

Jaxjacky Fri 10-Oct-25 20:56:17

Was in a WW advert for a large IT company I worked for.
Belong to the mile high club
Was born in an RAF staging post in Pakistan.
Drove for ten hours straight in Françe, I was hallucinating.
First spoke to my husband on the phone on NYE 1998, he was in Donegal with a mutual friend

Deedaa Fri 10-Oct-25 20:38:39

At 17 I picked up two African chaps in the Natural History Museum, one from Ghana, one from Nigeria. Took them to London Zoo the next day' My father wasn't impressed.

Travelled from Monte Carlo to Antibes by train sitting on the lap of a totally strange man, while he sat on the loo. Long story!

Did a life drawing and the tutor (Who had reduced me to tears several times) said that I had drawn an arm that Holbein might have drawn.

Was approached by a member of Steppenwolf in the 70s (Born To Be Wild etc.) he wanted to know if I had any Marihuana - I hadn't.

Hand reared a baby grey squirrel that had fallen out of its nest. He lived happily with my parents for years.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 10-Oct-25 20:12:31

Wow petra such excitement! Like a Bond film.
Mine sound so mundane. 😁

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 10-Oct-25 20:10:39

My error. The hospital was opened by Aneurin Bevan in 1948.

assets.nhs.uk/prod/documents/History_of_trafford_general_hospital.pdf