Fuck that depressing QOTW, its inspiration time.
Jesus, if I wanted to depress myself I could look at stare at the grey 'go faster' stripes I'm developing down the side of me head, so reading any more of those QOTW replies is off the list.

So, I thought about the thing I did in the past that I've drawn most inspiration from when I'm down, namely, I've done 2 'Firewalks' (you know, 12 foot of red-hot coal, bare feet, do the walk and don't even get a singed hair - amazing). If I can do that, I tell myself, I can do anything!

What inspires you from your past?
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Thu 14 May 2009, 7:37, 44 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

the day I saved a kid's life.
not kidding.

I used to be a surflifesaver. I was out on Board Patrol (where you're out on a massive knee board about 10ft long) and I noticed a kid "climbing the ladder". I paddled over to him and nearly didn't make it in time. There are many details I'm not going into.
I quit being a lifesaver that afternoon. It was one of the most horrible things I've ever had to do - but at the same time - I'm really proud of it.

So yes. When I'm feeling shit - I think about that - and I get a little glow of pride.
(Poppet some assembly required., Thu 14 May 2009, 8:14, Reply)

That's a great story
and I'm not surprised you chose to drop the surfsaving piece afterwards. Kudos to the Vampyrecat!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 8:53, Reply)

Props to you!
My wife's an ex-Lifeguard, done something similar - she gets all smiley when I remind her that there's someone alive who wouldn't be if she hadn't intervened!
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Thu 14 May 2009, 10:47, Reply)

I get my inspiration from a lot of places and a lot of people. But one stands out.
I had a rough past, which is not a secret. My inspiration back then was my old P.E. teacher who taught me the quote "Always face the sunshine, the shadows will fall behind".......and she was right. It's usually attributed to Helen Keller, but was actually a Walt Whitman quote.

She must have seen something in my eyes, because she had no fucking idea what was going on, but that quote has got me through a lot of hard times both back then, and recently.
( Batshitmentalist is sane for once, Thu 14 May 2009, 8:17, Reply)

*hugs*
gotta love the teachers who sometimes know exactly what to say.
(Poppet some assembly required., Thu 14 May 2009, 8:22, Reply)

Only a simple thing
I took an autustic child up to the top of the grid in the theatre I was working in.

To clarify, the grid is a mesh made from tensioned steel wires strung across the ceiling which the lights shine through. They're great because they make it very easy to adjust the lights, but you can't see the wires and the first step on to it is always a bit scary as it's about half a foot drop.

I took him up there, held his hand... his teacher thought he'd be petrified and would need to be carried back down, but he went bouncing off on to it - it was a great thing to watch.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Thu 14 May 2009, 8:25, Reply)

Scotland, 1993
When a bit younger I worked on a voluntary basis at a skydive centre in Scotland.

Not an instructor, more a factotum and I got a bunch of free jumps too, which rocked.

The bravest person I ever saw was someone who was terrified of heights making a parachute jump for no other reason than to cure it.

Face your fears kids.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 8:41, Reply)

I'm petrified of heights
Hmmm...
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:16, Reply)

I'll do it
if you will. I'm also petrified of heights.
(Poppet some assembly required., Thu 14 May 2009, 9:19, Reply)

TLIC/VC
OK. I'll jump with you if you want?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:24, Reply)

See my ...
choice of extreme sport is rockclimbing. I'm little so I have to think about how to get up somewhere. I can't reach or jump or anything. But I have a ball anyway.

But okay. You do realise I'm joking yeah? I can't even look out a glass floor elevator without having to sit down and close my eyes.
(Poppet some assembly required., Thu 14 May 2009, 9:37, Reply)

Sorted.
How's about this:

1. Getting up isn't a problem - that's what we've got aircraft for

2. The falling piece isn't a problem either; by the time you realise "shit, I'm in mid-air, falling under the force of gravity" you're canopy is open and you're gently (and I do mean - gently) floating to the ground

3. If you don't mind a little freefall, I can strap you to me and I'll be the one doing the falling, you're just hanging on?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:46, Reply)

As long as you promise to hold me tenderly
And you don't mind me soiling myself and screaming the whole way down.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:51, Reply)

this^^^
for me too!
(Poppet some assembly required., Thu 14 May 2009, 10:53, Reply)

For you both
It's a bit noisy, I'm probably not going to hear you on the way down!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:55, Reply)

I'm terrified of heights and have no sense of balance
Which is why my extreme sports of choice are climbing and mountain biking.

I refuse to be constrained by fear and spazzyness.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Thu 14 May 2009, 9:20, Reply)

Two Stories
1991

Middle of the Saudi desert, baby Ed = soldier in dodgy political exercise referred to previously in these parts.

Am busily treating an Iraqi casualty who has a nasty GSW to his thigh when we - an ambulance, FFS - come under sustained enemy small arms fire. I won't go into details but suffice to say in caricature that a new pair of boxers was needed.

Stayed out in the heat and didn't get under cover; not just me (this isn't an "Ed is such a hero" story) - the whole team, excluding a couple of nurses. We continued to treat the casualties we were looking after and a couple of us took minor injuries (I've got a 2cm piece of metal in my arm to this day that beeps when I go through an airport metal detector).

What I find inspirational is not that story. I find it inspirational that the team I was a part of didn't take cover. We didn't shoot back - although we would have been under our Geneva Convention rights to do so. We didn't react to it at all other than to bitch and moan to each other about "WTF?".

Gallows humour.

2009

I'm currently having some troubles with my ex-, as some of you are aware. We've been in Court last year and we'll be back in Court again this year.

Last year, my ex- wasn't at the Court hearing although I was. I stood up before the Court and was asked if I had something to say; pruning to the minimum my monologue my conclusion was "On behalf of the Crown, you can do whatever you want to me in the form of retribution because nothing - and I do mean nothing - will be as bad as losing Georgina".
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:03, Reply)

Edmund.
You inspire me because even though you're as mad as a box of frogs, you have achieved so much and experienced things that I could never have the guts to even try to do.


You're ace : )
( girlinthehole, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:39, Reply)

BGB
You're lovely, thank you *blushes* - I seem to get myself inadvertently into scrapes...oops.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:43, Reply)

Remembering the day
I jumped off a cliff.

Wonderful!
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:22, Reply)

There was the night
I spent in Portugal when I managed to get a four year old through a small window and then hide her for her parents to find later.

I never did go back to check how that one turned out mind.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:39, Reply)

Good to see you back on form
The last thread of yours I read had you whimpering for acceptance to JMG...wtf?
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Thu 14 May 2009, 10:51, Reply)

It was embarassing...

( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:04, Reply)

I resent the idea that I was whimpering
I keep asking to be on his list of approved b3tans because I feel I deserve it. But whenever I try and engage him in the "banter" of which he is so proud, he gets upset and rude. For a self-parodying comedy account, he isn't terribly good at keeping his distance from and refusing to be drawn into debates.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:05, Reply)

MAN THE FUCK UP!
Besides, he should be asking to be on YOUR list of approved Btans.

Speaking of which (cough), any room for me on it?
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Thu 14 May 2009, 11:30, Reply)

Get to fuck!
I wouldn't do anything as demeaning as "approve" you. If you want validation, go and make some friends you massive loser.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:37, Reply)

Normal service has been restored.

(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Thu 14 May 2009, 11:46, Reply)

The time I had a few too many,
and I was driving this couple home; she was a bit of alright, he was a bloody immigrant.

They started gettin' it on in the back of my car, so I was havin' a cheeky peek in my mirror.

Just as he started to old five finger shuffle, I wrapped the bloomin' car around a pillar, killing all three of us.
(TheColonel, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:48, Reply)

I was in this bar once
with a few mates and the youngest started getting loads of shit form one of the locals, not helped by the fact that of other two guys I was with, one had a massive speech impediment and the other one was a raving queen.

So to cut a long story short I ended up pulling out a fucking sword and cutting this cunts arm off.

Didn't get any trouble after that, though another fight kicked off later elsewhere in the bar. I heard someone got shot, apparently although they both had guns, the guy that got killed actually fired second.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 14 May 2009, 9:59, Reply)

The day
I got my first Honda
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:14, Reply)

YES!
This is my new favourite meme.
( Cawl, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:18, Reply)

I've seen references to Honda a few times now...
Did I miss something?
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:32, Reply)

This weeks QOTW
Search for hoogie's answer, or Honda.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:42, Reply)

So he was bullied?
And drove a honda into the guy? Who at the time was fucked up on heroin? I am so avoiding people driving hondas from now on.... It seems to be the vigilante's weapon of choice.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:52, Reply)

d'Accord
.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:37, Reply)

Line of the year so far
Choked on my toast over that - have a click...
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Thu 14 May 2009, 10:56, Reply)

The day I started
loads of martial arts training and then told the internet
(Bazongaloid, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:14, Reply)

Actually this might seem a bit silly but actually passing my driving test in my late 30's was a big thing for me.
I felt bloody amazing when I got that bit of paper.
( girlinthehole, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:41, Reply)

Excellent!
That's something to be really proud of. My mother didn't pass hers until she was well into her 40s and took four attempts to get it.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:44, Reply)

I passed on my first attempt : )
But it did take me 13 months to get to the stage where I was ready to take my test.

Now I drive like a boy racer. *laughs*
( girlinthehole, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:49, Reply)

I'm going to be 40 next year
...and I still do!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 14 May 2009, 10:50, Reply)

I'm 24 and rather embarassingly can't drive

( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:05, Reply)

I'm 36 this year:
can't drive either...

*lives in Central London and consequently doesn't give a toss*
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:37, Reply)

Why embarrassed.
Us non-drivers are just contributing less to the destruction of our beautiful planet and Mother Nature.


Al Gore sez so.
(TheColonel, Thu 14 May 2009, 11:41, Reply)