Nasema Kiswahili.
I just found out another one today, at the Fest.
No one guesses that I know how to drink!
The people I work with don’t know that they get on my last nerves.
That I have an evil, temptress, manipulator, mixer, troublemaker, sociopath, narcissist side to my personality. Most people are really bothered the first time they see me get angry or passionate.
No one who knows me now would guess that once upon a time, I was a punk rock riot grrl groupie type, or that I grew up in a highly abusive and dangerous atmosphere.
No one who knew me then would guess I’d grow up to be boringly normal.
Like a few others in this thread, I look a few years younger than I am. At 23 I seldom get ask for ID at bars, but since the drinking age here is 18, that I get asked at all is enough!
Along with the age-misconception, strangers often assume that I’m either a young uni student doing temp work or a labourer, not a professional with two degrees and a “real” job.
Also, no one would guess that I’m wearing my lucky superman underwear today. (Unless the grin of supreme self-confidence gives me away.)
I have had people who were virtual strangers guess that I’m a big Madonna fan, that I write poetry, that I have a flexible sense of time and that Willow has been my favourite character on Buffy since it first aired.
But none of them guessed what I figured out when I was 12; I’m mostly gay.
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Nobody would ever guess that I know far too much about The Simpsons, as I barely talk about the show in real life except to say, “Yeah, I love that show too”. I know what episode it is the first few seconds, and can name a number of quotes from the episode. I also know the episode name. Now, here that’s not that uncommon. But people are surprised when I use this knowledge like, “This reminds me of that Simpsons episode where…”
They’re also surprised that my favorite author is George Orwell and favorite musical artist is “Weird Al” Yankovic. I have diverse interests. 
WYSIWYG.
First: The mental images this thread has put into my mind, make me say- your a cool dude!
Animal slippers on a shaven headed tough guy. That’s cool in my book.
Now onto me. I can wiggle my eyes and I used to have a tongue ring. These two things surprise people the most when I tell them.
I agree!
I would guess that most people don’t look at me and guess that I like to shoot stuff, although I do not own a gun. I’m a fairly decent shot, too. It’s something I’d like to do more of. I also enjoy fishing, but I won’t touch worms or fish or any of that gross stuff. It must just be the relaxing act of casting and reeling in, 'cause come to think of it, I never really catch anything but still enjoy doing it.
I’m also terribly horribly shy around new people, and long-time friends seem to forget that and not understand my awkwardness in social situations, especially gatherings with lots of people.
People probably wouldn’t guess that…
-I’m really very shy
-my favorite two movies are Serendipity and Sense and Sensibility
Most people, unless they have seen me without my shirt on (no, I’m actually for once not linking to it. Yes, you may thank me. Send money) would not believe me unless I showed them that I can easily lift more than I weigh. Repeatedly. Until they get sick of it and tell me to stop.
I look skinny. I may actually be skinny (though I think I’d have to drop 20-30 lbs to really start to qualify). But I’m strong.
That I really enjoy classical music. I don’t think people who have a strong penchant for jeans and dark clothing are allowed to be transported by Mozart.
That I read as much as I do. Everyone who knows me knows how much I like books, but when you see someone walking down the street wearing a Clockwork Orange tee-shirt and ratty jeans and listening to loud punk from a CD player, do you imagine him curling up with Ursula LeGuin or Sinclair Lewis?
My capacity to swear quite profanely has shocked more than a few people. I’m usually quiet to the point of being able to startle people when I walk up beside them. (No mean feat for someone who’s six foot in his stocking feet.)
I still get carded regularly, and people check the pic on the liscense for forgery. I’m 33, legal age here is 21. I’m 5’6", built on a rather small scale, but I can Rumanian-lift 45 pounds - for three sets of eight.
I have survived abuse as a child and as a wife. No one looking at the professional, petite lady in the suit would guess that background.
People think I’m ‘adorable’ or ‘cute’; most would not guess I have a six-shot Mossberg shotgun loaded and ready next to my bed, and a willingness to appy same if my life or personal well-being is again threatened.
A lot of people are surprised to find out that I listen to hard rock music (including “death metal”). As a guy approaching his mid-thirties who looks more like a computer programmer type, I don’t seem to fit the stereotype of a person who listens to the likes of Slipknot, Otep, Ministry and Soulfly, to name a few.
A lot of people also think I am older than I really am, which probably also makes my musical tastes seem even more incongruent to my appearance. On average people put me at about 5 years older than my actual age.
I think now, there isn’t much that would surprise people. I don’t know how much sexuality figures in there, or anything, but who knows.
In highschool however, I used to be mid-to-hard core goth. White face, black eyes, black-red lips, black velvet skirts that touched the ground, crazy long pendant necklaces paired with chokers, all that fun stuff. At that time, no one would have guessed that I was a straight-A student who played in the school band, was Music Council President, held a position on Student Council, and was very involved in the school theatrical productions. Oh, and a little bit of a teacher’s pet for a few teachers too.
That I post here…
–that I am shy and easily intimidated
–that I cry every single time I watch “All Dogs Go To Heaven”
–that I have a wacked-out sense of humor
–that I am older than 16 (which is what everyone thinks I am).I am 28
That on the inside, I’m a complete geek (who absolutely loves computer games, RPGs, cartoons and anime, bad action movies, Xbox and fantasy novels). My favorite reaction remains my friend’s wife, who, when she heard me discourse on the video card I planned on purchasing for my PC, exclaimed, “You don’t LOOK like a geek!” 