# What things about you often surprise others? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096 "2005-10-06T20:39:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/61 "2005-10-10T20:26:41Z")
Geez–I’m having trouble thinking of anything about me that shocks anyone. People seem to get an impression of me that’s usually right on the money. Sorry to be so dull. ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/62 "2005-10-11T05:53:47Z")
People are often surprised that I’ve got a nerdy, brainiac personality. I look and sound more like the stereotypical jock/fratboy (even though I hate most sports and don’t belong to a fraternity). I could also pass for a teenager, and I can’t recall a time I’ve bought alcohol without being carded. I’m almost 28. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/63 "2005-10-11T06:46:00Z")
People are always surprised to learn: that I am closer to 50 than 30. I don’t look 47. Last week, someone said he thought I was around 32, and was shocked to know that I started working in the business before his parents were married. I don’t know how to drive and have no desire to learn. I was essentially destitute and sometimes homeless for over a decade. I can play guitars, bass, keyboards and drums with equal facility (at a reasonably high level of proficiency). …and that I’m the voice of that guy they hear on the radio several times an hour, every day of the week. (_Oh, I expected to see a guy in a tuxedo!_) ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/64 "2005-10-11T07:16:44Z")
> [@Large Marge](#): > > But again, there are plenty of lesbians who have long hair, wear > dresses and have long hot-pink manicured fingernails I would bold “long hot-pink manicured fingernails” but I think it’s against the rules, so just bold it in your mind and we’ll consider it a done deal. I can’t be held responsible for your mind-bolding! 😉 **Marge** : um, really? And they don’t have potential sex partners running away in droves? Ow. As for things about me that often surprise others…lemmesee. Do the tentacles count? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/65 "2005-10-11T10:22:40Z")
I’m Caucasian, and my wife is Chinese. “Interracial marriages” are not that common here in the Midwest, so I occasionally get the “Oh!” response when someone first meets my wife. But what really blows their mind is when someone finds out I started a militia group, and enjoy shooting .30-cal assault rifles and stockpiling ammo. ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/66 "2005-10-11T13:48:35Z")
I have the opposite problem of many Dopers. Everyone assumes I’m a slut/hippie/floozy type because I look like it. I use this constant misunderestimation to my great advantage and pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/67 "2005-10-11T15:08:50Z")
**fishbicycle** yours is a life story I want to hear. Have you posted about it here? In great detail? If not, please do, dear, because the sketchy details you provide are tantalizing! ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/68 "2005-10-11T16:53:21Z")
> [@Ellen Cherry](#): > > **fishbicycle** yours is a life story I want to hear. Have you posted about it here? In great detail? If not, please do, dear, because the sketchy details you provide are tantalizing! Thanks! I’ve posted a fair amount about my life, but I leave out a lot of stuff because I just don’t want to talk about it anymore, it used to be such a drag. And I don’t come here to complain or look for sympathy, so I don’t rabbit on about my crappy earlier decades. A poster asked one time what it was like to be homeless, and I responded to that. If you want to do a search for posts by me, I won’t feel like I’m being stalked! If you had any questions, you could e-mail me. OK? ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/69 "2005-10-11T17:09:42Z")
People are surprised that I can be girly. Apparently just because I walk like there’s a penis between my legs, and I don’t wear makeup, I’m not allowed to like wearing skirts or doing my nails. Or giggle. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096/70 "2005-10-11T18:41:33Z")
Thanks **fishie**. I understand. 🙂 That poster could have been me. (Sometimes I’m not very good at remembering who said what on this board!) I’ve tried for a long time to understand homelessness and have posted to/started threads addressing the issue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-about-you-often-surprise-others/325096.md?page=3)