Friday OT - That Reminds Me

[CYCLNST8]

This is more of an involuntary physical, but it immediately came to mind, so I'll share it.

My left arm is dumb. I'm a pretty coordinated person, but I knock stuff over constantly when I use my left arm. I just reach for something with it and away it goes. Scares the crap out of the dogs and annoys the crap out of my wife, but once I told her about it, she understands a bit more.

We were playing a board game last year and I grabbed something from the table to pick it up and this dumb arm just jerked up and launched it over my shoulder. We were just rolling on that one. I was like, I TOLD YOU IT WAS DUMB!

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Thanks so much to @MeadForMyHorses for this idea! I have struggled lately so please shoot me any ideas you have!

———————

Does anybody have a weird but harmless involuntary mental connection or trigger?

I will let them give their examples, but an example for me is semi inappropriate. One time @Mr Janny and I were driving on E Lincoln Way near the waste processing facility. It was actually a really sad time for us due to some personal things, so our frame of mind was pretty down. Janny was on the phone with his sibling who was checking in on us.

As we drove by the waste facility, we saw a… female sexual aid in the road (or men, I don’t judge, that was just the original use). (A

Spoiler

very large, dark grey-colored dildo

.) This obviously stopped the conversation in its tracks. Janny told his brother that we would have to call him back, then we circled around to try to come back and make sure that was indeed what we saw. It sure was, just right in the middle of the road.

I immediately assumed some brilliant college kids had left it there as a prank. Janny wanted to think that some of the waste engineers had found it in the trash and were throwing it at each other, when it sailed out a window and into the street. Anytime we drove on E. Lincoln Way for the next week and a half, we watched as it kept getting driven over and progressively filthier and filthier. It looked like it had really been used aggressively by the end.

So… that is what I think of any time I drive by the waste facility on E. Lincoln Way. Delightful, right?

Hopefully your examples are a little less gross!

I wasn't there but I now will always think about this while driving by that place.

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but every time I hear certain songs, they take me back to where I first heard them or where I was when they were popular. For example, Joy to the World by three dog night always transports me to Friley Hall, specifically the area where they used to have a seating area where they would serve hot dogs, chips and drinks. I think they also had an outdoor patio, because that's mostly where I go when I hear the song,

Music is such a great (or awful) trigger. I listened to the radio a lot the summer before I turned 12 and am transported to my basement playing games with my cousins any time I hear songs from that summer.

 

[Helser 83]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but every time I hear certain songs, they take me back to where I first heard them or where I was when they were popular. For example, Joy to the World by three dog night always transports me to Friley Hall, specifically the area where they used to have a seating area where they would serve hot dogs, chips and drinks. I think they also had an outdoor patio, because that's mostly where I go when I hear the song,

I'd be willing to bet that there are more of us who can relate to this than who cannot. There are certain songs that when I hear them they instantly take be back to a certain time and place. And I have quite a few of these from my younger not so quite innocent days. Good times.

 

[MeanDean]

Probably most of my triggers are pet peeves when I am driving like people not using turning signals, people that dangerously weave in and out of traffic nearly causing an accident only to wind up right next to you at the next stop light, people that flash their high beams at you even though your high beams are not on (and yes I intentionally flash my high beams back at them so they know what they really look like) people that honk at you when you are at a red light and waiting for a safe moment to make a right turn on red, probably some more things but my kids have ratted me out to my wife when I have dropped an f-bomb or given someone the bird over stupid driving so I get reminded "daddy flipped someone off here last week when they honked at him."

I do have another thing that kind of fits this. Long time ago was driving down a neighborhood hill in the winter that there was already a cop on scene for another accident at the bottom of the hill. My car started to slide and I was worried I was headed right for them so was trying to steer my car toward a curb and hope I could stop. I wound up jumping the curb and hitting a phone pole. Cop said he was glad I hit that and not them. It damaged the pole enough that Mid American had to replace it and when they did they just put a new pole in right next to it and cut the top off leaving just the Medicom cable line on it. That damaged pole stayed there for several years until Mediacom finally moved their line to the new pole so it could be removed so I drove by that pole many times and was reminding me of that day. Would joke "there's the pole my insurance paid for!"

There's a light on a major street here in Florida where a drunk driver rammed about 3 vehicles, including mine when stopping for a red light. This was about 8 years ago. Every time I'm traveling that direction and I have to stop at that stoplight, I mentally cringe, waiting for impact.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but every time I hear certain songs, they take me back to where I first heard them or where I was when they were popular. For example, Joy to the World by three dog night always transports me to Friley Hall, specifically the area where they used to have a seating area where they would serve hot dogs, chips and drinks. I think they also had an outdoor patio, because that's mostly where I go when I hear the song,

Music is the ultimate time machine. I have horrible memory (I can remember most things, but I have to grab a piece of it and reconstruct from there), but music will just send me back to a moment with more clarity than anything else.

 

[Angie]

I wasn't there but I now will always think about this while driving by that place.

We were the absolute epitome of a double take!

 

[mj4cy]

People that walk slow when I'm stuck behind them. I know a lot of people can't help it (handicapped, elderly, etc). I'm always in a hurry and in pretty good shape for my age. On the outside I am patiently and politely giving them their space. On the inside I'm screaming.

This about killed me last week in airports and at Universal Studios. Sooooo many slow walkers.

 

[wxman1]

Somewhat on the slow walkers/drivers realm.

My in-laws are so damn slow when it takes to getting out of the car/leaving somewhere. Car wise they will park, get all situated, gather stuff etc. and maybe it is that they just do it slowly but it's not like I am jumping and running out of the car but the car is in park and off lets go.

Same goes for leaving a show or something. They will damn near always be the last ones out because they are just slow getting up etc.

 

[CYdTracked]

There's a light on a major street here in Florida where a drunk driver rammed about 3 vehicles, including mine when stopping for a red light. This was about 8 years ago. Every time I'm traveling that direction and I have to stop at that stoplight, I mentally cringe, waiting for impact.

I got t-boned by an uninsured driver that ran a red light at an intersection in downtown Des Moines when I used to work down there. Had to go through that intersection every time I drove home so after that happened my head was on a swivel every time I crossed it for a while after that happened. Completely scared the crap out of me when it happened as I was driving through the intersection and got nailed on the driver's side and didn't even see it coming. Very lucky that I walked away from that without a scratch or injury. Even the body shop called me after they first assessed the damage and said they hit me pretty good so they were shocked to hear I had no inuries or pain.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

The smell of burnt popcorn always transports me back to my first summer at Friley. This one dude must have burned a bag of popcorn twice a week and our floor constantly smelled like ass.

 

[VeloClone]

Thanks so much to @MeadForMyHorses for this idea! I have struggled lately so please shoot me any ideas you have!

———————

Does anybody have a weird but harmless involuntary mental connection or trigger?

I will let them give their examples, but an example for me is semi inappropriate. One time @Mr Janny and I were driving on E Lincoln Way near the waste processing facility. It was actually a really sad time for us due to some personal things, so our frame of mind was pretty down. Janny was on the phone with his sibling who was checking in on us.

As we drove by the waste facility, we saw a… female sexual aid in the road (or men, I don’t judge, that was just the original use). (A

Spoiler

very large, dark grey-colored dildo

.) This obviously stopped the conversation in its tracks. Janny told his brother that we would have to call him back, then we circled around to try to come back and make sure that was indeed what we saw. It sure was, just right in the middle of the road.

I immediately assumed some brilliant college kids had left it there as a prank. Janny wanted to think that some of the waste engineers had found it in the trash and were throwing it at each other, when it sailed out a window and into the street. Anytime we drove on E. Lincoln Way for the next week and a half, we watched as it kept getting driven over and progressively filthier and filthier. It looked like it had really been used aggressively by the end.

So… that is what I think of any time I drive by the waste facility on E. Lincoln Way. Delightful, right?

Hopefully your examples are a little less gross!

Was this by 520 E. Lincolnway? That's the corner of E LW and Cherry, by the way.

Those who know, know what I'm talking about.

 

[VeloClone]

I want to jump up and take over, like the guy in the "Don't Be Your Parents" commercial. When I'm flying and I watch someone put their carry-on into the overhead with the handle out when it will definitely fit turned the other way. Be considerate and leave more room for others' bags.

The other is waiting patiently in line at the checkout. We're all wishing we could get out faster. The person watches the checker scan everything and finally when the order total is ready, THEN they decide maybe they have to pay. Then they start digging into their pocketbook (sorry ladies, especially old ladies, this is almost always female). Digging through for money or leafing through their 37 credit and debit cards for the right one. Why didn't you have that ready? Did you think you weren't going to have to pay this time?

We buy a lot of gas at Costco. This applies there too. You may be waiting in line for 10 minutes and in all that time it never occured to you to dig out your Costco card (and credit card if applicable) rather than digging through your car or wallet after you pull up to the pump?

 

[VeloClone]

When I was in junior high I was in a play at school. They kind of mocked up costumes, nothing elaborate. I was supposed to wear this thing they had dyed black that I had to pull over my head. The smell of the black dye was really strong. It was closed in the back at the neck by one of those giant safety pins. I learned the hard way that I had to be careful taking it off because if I just ripped it off over my head that closed safety pin would snag my hair at the back of my neck. During the rehearsals and run of that play I must have snagged the hair at the back of my neck easily a couple dozen times. To this day whenever I smell that particular smell of black dye I can feel that pain in the back of my scalp.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

I want to jump up and take over, like the guy in the "Don't Be Your Parents" commercial. When I'm flying and I watch someone put their carry-on into the overhead with the handle out when it will definitely fit turned the other way. Be considerate and leave more room for others' bags.

The other is waiting patiently in line at the checkout. We're all wishing we could get out faster. The person watches the checker scan everything and finally when the order total is ready, THEN they decide maybe they have to pay. Then they start digging into their pocketbook (sorry ladies, especially old ladies, this is almost always female). Digging through for money or leafing through their 37 credit and debit cards for the right one. Why didn't you have that ready? Did you think you weren't going to have to pay this time?

I have a problem with the commercial where the guy lectures the guy who is telling boy how to put the groceries in.

I got t-boned by an uninsured driver that ran a red light at an intersection in downtown Des Moines when I used to work down there. Had to go through that intersection every time I drove home so after that happened my head was on a swivel every time I crossed it for a while after that happened. Completely scared the crap out of me when it happened as I was driving through the intersection and got nailed on the driver's side and didn't even see it coming. Very lucky that I walked away from that without a scratch or injury. Even the body shop called me after they first assessed the damage and said they hit me pretty good so they were shocked to hear I had no inuries or pain.

I've been the person causing that accident. Went to a show at the well back in the the day and took the 5th street exit.

Not familiar with DMoines and went through a red.

Now I refuse to enter parking lot via 5th street exit.

 

[madguy30]

My home town mainly looks the same as it ever did and when I've been back on walks if it's the fall or close to evening on certain streets I've had moments that quite literally felt like I time traveled to early 90s middle school years.

 

[JayV]

Everytime I see or hear the musician, Dua Lipa I think about Double IPA beer. And vice-versa. Makes me wonder if she did it on purpose.

 

[CYdTracked]

I have a problem with the commercial where the guy lectures the guy who is telling boy how to put the groceries in. I've been the person causing that accident. Went to a show at the well back in the the day and took the 5th street exit. Not familiar with DMoines and went through a red. Now I refuse to enter parking lot via 5th street exit.

Your situation is completely different from the person that caused mine. This person I later found out also worked at the same company I did so they were very familiar with driving downtown. To their credit they were very apologetic for causing the accident and even made a point to reach out to me at work later that week to make sure I was ok which I appreciated. The bad part was as time went on I kept bugging my insurance company asking why I had not received my deductible back yet since I was not at fault in the accident but had to file a claim since it was an uninsured driver. Found out that they stopped making payments on the agreement they came to and had to go to court on the matter and 2 years later I only got 2/3 of my deductible back since they were not able to get the full amount of damages back. I was pretty irked about that because you pay to have insurance to cover you for scenarios like that and when you have to use it they find every way they can not to pay it out.

Just like my other story where I hit a pole, I kept checking in on the status of my car during repairs and the body shop told me that my insurance company was pressing them to find certified used parts to use for the repairs but they were not finding any available and were telling them that the only option was new parts. That ticked me off too as yet again you pay all that money for insurance premiums and they try to find the cheap way out when you file a claim.

 

[jbclone10]

My grandparents always had golf on the tv whenever we would visit. As a teenager I wondered why you’d watch something so boring. As an adult who now watches golf nearly every weekend it brings a smile to my face and it’s a happy memory of my grandparents house!