This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Friday, July 16, 2010

And Now the Truth Revealed!

             On my post of last Saturday I acknowledged the "Creative Writer (Liar)" Award giving to me by Patricia Stoltey.  In accepting this award I gave you 6 possible things about me of which only one is true.  I reposted these on Monday-- talk about getting maximum mileage out of blog topics.

              Since I didn't reveal the answer as promised on Wednesday, I'm doing it today.  First here are the lies and the truth:


1. I was once a roadie for the Marshall Tucker Band (a popular country rock band in the 70s)
2. I was the salutatorian of my graduating class in high school.
3. I have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail.
4. I performed in a circus that featured Ted Cassidy and Jackie Coogan from the television show "The Addams Family".
5. While rafting down the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon, the raft I was in capsized and I broke my leg, necessitating a helicopter rescue out of the canyon.
6. In the late 70s I spent one season working as a featured magic act in a carnival sideshow.

       The guesses were all over the place.  And I'm not sure whether some of the numbers guessed were that they were the truth or a lie.  In any case, here they are revealed:

1.  ... roadie for the Marshall Tucker Band  -- I saw the Marshall Tucker Band in concert once in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1975.  I talked Ken and Roberta Griffin, the magic act that I mentioned in my Wednesday post, into going with me.  Lead singer and guitarist Toy Caldwell became very sick during the concert and had to be taken away in an ambulance.  Opening act Charlie Daniels stepped in to take his place and finished out the set.  I was a fan of Marshall Tucker, but never a roadie.


2. ... salutatorian of my graduating class.--I had a pretty good grade point average in high school--but not that good.  Some of my math grades kind of messed things up.  Still, out of a graduating class of about 250, I was ranked #21.  I just missed having my picture in the school yearbook as one of the Top Twenty.

3. .... hiked entire Appalachian Trail--I did a lot of hiking and backpacking in my younger days and dreamed of doing the entire Appalachian Trail, but never did.

4. I performed in a circus that featured Ted Cassidy and Jackie Coogan from the television show "The Addams Family".  If I remember correctly this was in about February of 1966.  My family's juggling act was booked to play the Shrine Circus in Rochester, New York.  Right before intermission there was what they called the "Spectacle Parade" in which all performers, animals, and some special floats would circle the arena.  Part of this spec featured celebrities who had been advertised to draw crowds.  This was the extent of what Cassidy and Coogan did.  They rode around in some sort of novelty vehicle and waved at the crowd.  I recall after one spec, my sister and I caught the celebrities on a backstage stairway to request autographs.  They complied, but they sure were grouchy about it.  This is the true story.

5. While rafting down the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon, the raft I was in capsized and I broke my leg, necessitating a helicopter rescue out of the canyon.---Definitely the most concocted of all the stories, this one is a total fabrication.

6. In the late 70s I spent one season working as a featured magic act in a carnival sideshow.--There are some truths to this story.  In the late 70s I did work on a few magic shows and did perform a few magic illusions in these shows.  For a brief stint when I was working with the Ken Griffin Magic Show we did work on a "girlie" or burlesque show at a carnival at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Missouri.  So this is an amalgamation of truths to form a lie.

            There you have it!  A shorter post of recycled material.  Works for me.

18 comments:

  1. Cool stuff. I kinda hoped you had hiked that trial. I want to do that one day. One day...

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  2. Golly I was right . Yes it was a shorter post than usual but very interesting all the same,

    Yvonne.

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  3. I knew #5 was wrong, but didn't realize so many of them were also!

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  4. Man, sorry I missed this! I was totally going to guess the Trail, too!!! ;-)

    ~JD

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  5. Should've know the circus one was true since you juggle!

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  6. What an interesting life you've had! :)

    I'm always impressed by people who know how to juggle. My friends have been trying to teach me for years, and I usually end up wondering if I can get a concussion from repeated impacts of tiny bean-filled balls.

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  7. I missed this too, but I think i'd have guessed the Addams Family one, because I knew of your juggler-family past,

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  8. I didn't realize it was a True or False thing and when I was reading it I was soo confused thinking I never heard any of these stories!

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  9. Ooo, I love these posts, they're so revealing and you've led quite a cool life, thanks!

    ~that rebel, Olivia

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  10. I love learning all about my blogging friends.

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  11. Those were some mighty fine lies – you had me fooled!

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  12. Tabitha -- I probably would have hiked the Appalachian Trail if I hadn't gone cavorting into a show biz life. But it all worked out fine.

    Yvonne -- As my most faithful reader, you probably know more about me than anyone.

    Alex -- A good lie is almost true.

    Justine -- Well, glad you made it for the answers.

    L.Diane -- Yeah, me and my circus days.

    RosieC-- We didn't use bean filled balls when I was learning, we used lacrosse balls. Try bopping yerself in the noggin with a lacrosse ball.

    Will -- Again my shadowy juggling past exposes me!

    Emilee-- There's still probably stories I never told you. Keep reading my blog and you'll find out all kinds of things about your Dad.

    Olivia -- Yeah, I like reading posts like these as well to learn about others. They're kind of fun to write as well.

    Carol --It's amazing what some of us will admit in our blogs.

    Jane-- I'm trying to hone my storytelling skills.

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  13. Those are fun lies, Lee! You did really well with this - lots of fun :)

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  14. I love that you put a grain of truth into your lies, and I love that the true story was among the most intriguing of them all. You must have led a very interesting life so far!

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  15. I didn't know you were from a circus world, how interesting!

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  16. Well, not being a prophet nor the son of a prophet I guessed wrong!

    It is like the Fortune Teller's Office was shut down last week due to unforseen circumstances. Hey, wait a minute?

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  17. Phew, glad I switched; I almost picked the most fabricated...but life is stranger than fiction, in my case. Great list~You threw a lot of confusion, weaving the truth in there...loved it~

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  18. Actually Arlee - I was thinking that you did have all these adventures! :) Oh, well - I'm not a great guesser!

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Lee