Been keeping head down and hoping to avoid being tagged, but Jeff has a keen eye for cowardly dodgers so here I go.
But hey, if every tagged person takes at most half a day to write and tag on - and Jeff was the first one (and he's not) we'd have 134 million tag-posts by Wednesday next week. So somebody must be cheating, and I'll do my best so as not to swamp the sphere - herewith officially not tagging any! ;)
OK, here goes:
1. Only profession I always regret not having tried - ballet dancer. (But don't tell anybody, could be misunderstood, but really, I love ballet.)
2. Done the Lauberhorn strecke in a downhill race (not World Cup though). Came 10th I think, but I do remember that the red skis where only a vague blur underneath. Scary but fun.
3. Tried to do a LBO of the family firm (I was third generation) when I was 29 without telling my father who was the CEO. When over the shock he accepted the offer with a grunt, turned in the door, and left for a long vacation. But aunts, cousins and uncles did not want to sell to "their sister-in-law's son" despite me having breakfast, lunch and dinners with them all for two weeks, and giving a better offer than the competition that they drummed up. A straw man would have been the thing.
4. When 17 and working as a "engine boy" on a freighter I went inside the oil sump of a ships engine knee-and-arm-deep in the gooey stuff hanging by one arm around the crankshaft rummaging around for lost tools. I was given a half day off for that. And yes, I found enough tools to fill a toolbox down there.
5. Every time I get reasonably good at a sport I pick up another - love the learning curve. But the attic is rather full of stuff, anybody in the market for nine Hardy fly fishing rods or a row of golfbags? Current activities are alpine touring (ski), cycling and orienteering (last two competing). Ask me next year for an update of what's new.
6. Studied in Zurich due to the fact that I took a right instead of left on the motorway between Bern and Basel on a Friday and ended up with some friends partying all weekend. Stayed for six years. My mother waited for me on the ferry landing in Oslo every morning for a week until she heard from some mother of a friend that I stayed behind in Zurich. (Hope my sons will treat me better though!)
7. Tried once to buy up some snuff manufacturers in northern England, almost became a member of the UK Snuff Manufacturers Association. But alas, the owner's sole interests were walking the moors and playing bridge so they could not see any use of ready cash. Rubber wellies are still cheap.
8. Was thrown out of high school for being overly lazy and generally useless. Did my exams with good results on time anyway thanks to self study and renewed interest in studying. Smart chaps those teachers that threw me out, that was what the doctor ordered.
Bonus 9. Have a huge weakness; bags, suitcases, whatever travel goods, cannot buy enough of that. Obviously tried to do a LBO on a good old British bag manufacturer once too.
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