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Monday, February 18, 2008

Truths and Lies Revealed

Well, the closest thus far is Luna, who guessed the two correct ones and then changed her vote! I guess it's true what those SAT tutors always said--go with your first choice.

So here is how the four truths and two lies played out:

1. Prior to starting graduate school, I auditioned for the Real World on MTV and made it to the final round of cuts. It was between me and Montana and they took Montana. I ended up in Massachusetts anyway for graduate school.

This is one of the lies and a great one at that--Josh made it up. I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone worse for the Real World. Though I did end up in Massachusetts for graduate school while the Real World was being filmed in Boston.

2. Whenever there are decorative rocks anywhere, I make Josh steal one for me. I'll never do it myself, but I always beg him to do my bidding.

This is true. I don't know if there's more that needs to be said about my thievery.

3. I used to cut high school to hang out at other people's high schools. I sat in on my friend's French class for the whole year and sometimes even took their tests for the hell of it.

This is true. Isn't that sad? I cut school to hang out at...school. It's funny that so many people thought this was false. But I cut a lot of school--usually the afternoon classes--and I did sit through French class at my friend's school.

4. I was in navy ROTC my freshman year of college but I dropped out after one year.

This was another one of the lies and Josh came up with this one too. I would be terrible in any of the armed forces. I have a great deal of respect for the navy and anyone who serves because I'm certainly not up to the task.

5. I was once upgraded to business class when I had an anxiety attack on an airplane--this was after taking an Ativan
.

This is a true story and I wrote a letter to British Air about it afterwards because the steward was so fantastic. But we were seated in the back of the plane and before the plane took off, I had an all-out panic attack where I couldn't breathe. I was so certain that if I sat in the back of the plane I would die. As I was sobbing and moaning (I couldn't even get words out. I just kept moaning), the steward knelt beside me and stroked my hand, saying in this fantastic British accent, "tell me about it, my dear. Let it out, let it out. Tell me your fears."

The crew finally decided to move me to business class in order to get me away from my fellow patrons in the back who needed me gone. Josh decided to knock me out with a second Ativan. And he enjoyed business class seating while I alternated between unconscious and crying for the duration of the flight.

Good times.

6. I once had a private audience with the Pope.

This, believe it or not, is true. I read somewhere that anyone can request a private audience with the Pope (I'm not sure if this is still happening or not, but it was in the 90s). I was headed over for a month in Italy and decided to write and request an audience. I didn't hear anything back and forgot about it until I was pulling out of the driveway to go to the airport and decided to check the mail. Lo and behold, a note from the Vatican with directions on what to do beforehand.

We had to go to the Vatican the day before to pick up tickets and speak with the Swiss guards about protocol. When we got there, I realized that I didn't know enough Italian to explain why we were there so I kept saying, "biglietti, Pope."

The next day we returned to the Vatican for the Mass. There were maybe 100 people there. Most of the service was performed by others and Pope John Paul II sat on the stage. During his portion of the service, he spoke in 5 different languages, though it was difficult to understand him even when he spoke in English. It was towards the end of his life and the Parkinson's was pretty advanced. Truly, the only word I understood clearly was "jubilee."

All in all, I have to tell you as a Jewish girl that it was pretty emotional to be in that service and get to take part in that Mass (sans Communion since I'm not Catholic. I sat out that portion of the service as did a few others). I love getting to participate in other people's rituals and culture and it was a huge honour to have my first full church service be with the Pope. Other cool services I have attended were a Gaelic Mass in Ireland and Meeting in a 19th century Quaker meetinghouse.

So those are my truths and lies. What are yours?

12 comments:

Jess said...

That.Is.So.Cool. about the Pope. Truly. SO COOL.

And I'm not Catholic, either. But still. Cool.

LMAO at the plane story, though in the moment it wasn't funny, I'm sure. Might not even be funny now!! But it's funny to me because I'm the same way. I take ativan to fly. And right before we got married we flew to FL and I remember sitting in Travis' room CONVINCED we would all DIE the night before. I hate planes. Ew.

JJ said...

I would have bet money on the Real World one...glad I didnt loose $!

I am still coming up with mine...

AwkwardMoments said...

I so need to do this - it looks like so much fun! WOW about the hole Pope experience. That really is special!

Io said...

Grr. I almost picked correctly. That's awesome about the pope though - I had no idea you could just request an audience. Now I feel like I should take a jaunt over to the Vatican to say hi...
I do love visiting other people's places of worship - one of the coolest experiences I have ever had was going to a Baptist church in the middle of Harlem with my friend Nia. Little goofy white me, wishing I had the guts (or the spirit to move me, I guess) to holler out Amen and start stomping and shaking like the women in there. Everyone was so incredibly friendly and it was so different than Catholic Mass, where everyone is quiet.

I'll post tomorrow on what is true or false.

luna said...

ha! that's so funny. I always knew I should trust my instincts. I still can't believe anyone thought you were in ROTC!

I'll have to think of some of these for a future post. thanks for the fun! ~luna

Bea said...

Damn. I triple-bluffed myself into the wrong stuff.

Bea

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

very cool - I had no idea - The POpe one I thought was a lie. I don't know how I could come up with anything this creative.

Julia said...

Well, I got one of them. Not bad.
Thanks for the cool stories.

Anonymous said...

I met the Pope too - it was Ash Wednesday! And amazing to be involved, and I'm not Catholic either.

Sunny said...

Oh I so should have commented with my guesses. I would have been right. LOL! Just call me lazy these days.

Megan said...

I thought the lies were 1 and 3 (mostly because they seemed to be the most embellished).

When I was in school, I would never have dared to skip out, but if I had, I can definitely say that I wouldn't have spent the free time going to somebody else's school. That is, at the same time, awesome and weird.

I made my own list of truths and lies if you'd like to check it out.

beagle said...

Love it!