I was telling a friend that one of the things I love most about writing is how it allows me to make connections to other people. In a way, a blog is often like an online diary that we let other people read. Some people get very personal, and visiting their blog can feel like having a conversation with an old friend.
But can you really know everything about a person just by reading snippets of their lives? Or at least make an educated guess about who they are in real life? Well, we’re about to find out.
I’m putting my Hooked on Tonics to a test. We’ll see how well do you know the real Jen, the one who exists outside of WordPress. Below are five truths, and one lie about me. Can you tell which is which?
(1) I am an emergency preparedness enthusiast. I’ve taken basic survival courses, and am also a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member. I have basic supplies stored in my home and car should a natural disaster occur, or I become stranded. One of my goals is to become Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certified in the next six months.
Totally legit picture of me just getting my archery on
(2) I am trained in the art of Kyusho Jitsu which is a Japanese martial arts technique of attacking another person’s pressure points. I know how to inflict pain with a simple touch, and could even cause involuntary reflexes by lightly tapping you. If you really act up, I could make you pass out. Some people claim their hands are registered weapons, but it’s actually true in my case.
(3) I got picked last in a lot of things as a kid, but sports were never one of them. I’m actually very athletic, and played basketball, soccer and volleyball growing up. Despite being the size of a gnome, I was pretty good at throwing up shots in basketball, especially free throw shots. I was so good at them that I placed in a statewide free throw tournament when I was in junior high.
BEAST MODE
(4) One of my very first jobs was working at a collection agency. I helped with processing bankruptcy notifications, cease and desist letters, and notices of death. I also handled calls from people I now consider to be the original Tea Party members. They say the collection agents are bad, but I was threatened multiple times by the debtors themselves.
(5) People often say, “I was dropped on my head as a kid” but I can say that it actually happened to me. If you look closely at some of my pictures, you’ll see that I have a scar below my right eyebrow. That came as a result of my cousin dropping me when I was a baby, and me hugging the floor with my face. It explains a lot, doesn’t it?
I apologize for this disturbing imagery
(6) I experience temporary hearing loss as a result of inner ear issues that I’ve had since I was a child. Do you have a kid who only seems to get sick in the middle of the night? Yep, that was me with my ears. Now, as an adult, I still get ringing and pressure in my ears that sometimes last for hours at a time…usually in the middle of the night.
So which which one is the lie? Let me know in the comments section what your guesses are. I’ll reveal the answer in tomorrow’s post.
Bloggers: I’d love it if you “stole” this idea, and played the game with your readers too. We’ll see how much we all really know about each other.
Sips of Jen and Tonic 
I’m going with #4 because– really? You did not work for a collection agency… did you?
Oh, I totally did. The agency itself was pretty awesome, but the people I had to deal with were certainly NOT.
Jen, I did this about four years ago, so it is awkward to ping/trackback appropriately as the others have (I’d have to edit an archival post). The post is here: http://jaklumen.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/5-truths-1-lie/
Since I only listed five items instead of six, the bonus item is:
I was falsely accused of rape
and the verification is actually floating around the WP blogosphere.
Oops, I figured out how to ping you after all… I figured out how to do it by way of reblog and linkage in the accompanying text.
Sorry… I have no idea what your truth is in your 6 items.
Whoa, were you really? Wow, that’s AWFUL.
I was. I didn’t answer much in my post, but here’s the link I referenced, a comment I made on another blog:
http://culturemonk.com/2013/11/16/women-rape-and-restoration/#comment-8869
I’m going with number 2 – I’ve only seen Spock and Xena warrior princess knock people out like that. But I love the debtors sounding like Tea Party members – ha, how true.
Hat even us basket ball?
ECHO ECHO
Totally stealing this idea for my post today 🙂 Giving you full credit though 🙂 Will post the link soon! And, sorry, I would have to hazard a guess on your list. Would it be # 3, the basketball thing?
Jen sweetheart! What a brilliant idea for a post. I am stealing this, well, not really, since I am giving you credit for it! Will link up the post when I am done. In the meantime, I am going to go with # 3, since I am not sure anyway 🙂
I’m going to say #3 is the lie. Because I want so badly for #2 to be true.
Just to let you know, I make those really dramatic martial arts noises when I attempt to take someone down.
I expect nothing less.
I’m going with number 2 .. Xena Warrior Princess! 🙂
Just sayin’ because those of us with special talents, don’t like to tell the world, you know? 😉
The first rule of Pressure Points Club is to not talk about Pressure Points Club.
I’m guessing without reading the comments or your answers. And I’m guessing that #2 is the lie. Studying martial arts I can see, but not pressure points.
And what a fun idea for a blog post! I may just have to do it …
Now on to look at the comments.
I’d love it if you did it! I’m really surprised by how wrong a lot of the people are. I’m sure you will be too when you put yours up.
I hope #4 is the lie because that sounds like a fucking nightmare so that’s what makes it ring true. I’m going to have to guess #3 because state freethrow contest seems fabricated. I know #2 is real because you are a total badass. I will be doing this because…shit…I am having a hard time with the remaining days.
Hugo lost the bottom half of his body after I pressed on his lower back. He broke into two pieces.
Number 7 is a lie! Wait, no… Dammit, I suck at this.
I wrote a 7, and it was absolutely false. You are correct!
Winner, thy name is Calahan.
I am so stealing this idea but, meanwhile, I hope #2 is actually true because how awesome would that be? If I could do that, I wouldn’t have slapped the woman who stole my cab. If I really did that, I mean.
Please, steal away.
If you learned pressure points you’d always be first in line for a cab.