What is your most memorable event / experience that will stay with you forever? (1 Viewer)

kevlray

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The_Doc_Man: I have been to a number of the places you listed and many more. Makes it hard to choose. Of course there was the launch of the Skylab crew and a Space Shuttle launch. Then there was visiting the Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C.. The Grand Canyon (watching the sunrise from there). Yosemite (I worked there for three years). The Grand Coulee Dam (and the laser light show).
 

The_Doc_Man

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Wifey and I were at the Lincoln Memorial when a school glee club did a spontaneous a capella version of "America the Beautiful." The acoustics under that hard stone roof are astounding, even breathtaking.
 

The_Doc_Man

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creativity is what drives economic prosperity, but you and everyone else knows by now that I don't care one bit about that. thus, it is not for me. and yes, i'm well aware that most musicians and artists used drugs heavily. and the reason is probably because they can't deal with the manipulative nature of the world's evil. or maybe it's because they just want to experiment? regardless of the reason, yes, much good music has come from drugs. hell, I should know! I listen to my list all day long, and there are 1600+ songs on it. =)

Then, of course, many of the world's religions sprang from pscyotropic drugs. Gave people visions of all sorts of creaturs with wings of light or wings like bats, or of haloes or flames. One wonders what the ancient shepherds were smoking when they imagined their stories.
 

The_Doc_Man

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And yet if you consider the religions of the native Americans, a lot of their visions and mystic experiences were "aided" by a little weed of some kind or another. For them, usually peyote. The Rastafarians use ganja weed. It is common among MANY religions to "assist" in bringing forth visions.
 

neuroman9999

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It is common among MANY religions to "assist" in bringing forth visions.
if that's what you think then obviously whatever religions you're looking at or reading about, they're obviously false or full of people who are experimental weirdos
 

The_Doc_Man

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whatever religions you're looking at or reading about, they're obviously false

Beware, since, that includes that until I was about 35 or so, I was a Protestant Christian. (Methodist.) I agree with you about the obviously false part. We only disagree on the number of religions to be found false.
 

Galaxiom

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One wonders what the ancient shepherds were smoking when they imagined their stories.
DMT (one of the main psychoactive alkaloids in Ayahuasca) is found in several species of Acacia.

Talking animals and plants, angels etc. Any reasonable assessment would conclude they were reporting hallucinations.
 

ColinEssex

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Being as I started this thread, I thought I'd better mention my memorable event. Actually, I'm going to cheat as I have two.
The wife and I, in the mid 1970's spent a while travelling in India. It was a time when people didn't travel too far - in those days, a visit to Spain was regarded as a massive trek. Anyway, during our trip, we spent a few days in Agra, where the Taj Mahal is. This is the most beautiful building made so marble and semi-precious stones. The trick is to see it at midnight under a full moon and we did, I can only describe it as magical, we just stared at it and you were somehow transported to another plane somehow. It was just me and Mary there, no crowds, just a beautiful experience.
My second experience.
In the early 1980's I worked in a hospital in Hastings (south coast UK). Part of my job was welfare of patients and visitors. I was given the job of assisting and looking after Sir Paul McCartney and his wife and then small children. His daughter was in hospital for around a month after a serious horse riding accident so I got to know him reasonably well over the month. Sir Paul lived near us anyway. He had no 'minders', just him and Linda mostly. But, the thought of spending time chatting with 25% of The Beatles is a dream I lived.
He had to bring his daughter for an X-ray after her recovery some weeks later, and as he was unsure of where to go and being thoughtful, he didn't want to cause disruption to others, he rang me up and asked to meet up so I could take him 'the back way' where public don't go. Then, a few years later, an American oil company called 'Amoco', wanted to drill for oil near where we lived in Sussex. This also affected Sir Paul, so during public consultation, him and Linda also attended.
Anyway, that's my little stories.
Col
 

The_Doc_Man

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You opened yourself up for a response, Adam. Of course I am better than that which doesn't exist.

OK, now a more honest statement. I do not claim to know everything. I do not claim to have figured out everything. I just know what makes sense to me and what does not.
 

kevlray

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Colin your trip to India reminded of a similar experience. Yosemite valley is pretty much surrounded by high cliffs of granite. A few times while I was working there there had been a snow storm. Then that night there was full moon. Quite a scene and no need for a flashlight.
 

The_Doc_Man

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Speaking of trips, one of my favorite memories was when my parents and I took a road trip to the USA that included a trip through Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Utah. We found a lovely little stream bubbling merrily among the rocks and were playing tourist with cameras blazing. Out of the blue, a young fawn approached because Dad had been munching on some Triscuits. He held out one in his open palm and the fawn approached. Dad got this grin like a kid with a new pet when the fawn ate the triscuit - and stayed around. I have pictures of him feeding that fawn. Yes, I know you should not feed animals and you don't want them to become accustomed to humans. But Dad couldn't resist. And we enjoyed the pictures for many years after that.
 

The_Doc_Man

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You know my position on that question. Such a being does not exist.
 

kevlray

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Another memorable moment in Mt. Rainer National Park (when I was very young). A camper was putting down their tent to get it packed up. A deer wandered into the middle of the downed tent and laid down. Apparently it was very comfortable. It ignored all the hand waving and yelling at the deer by the camper. Finally the camper got brave enough to try to push the deer off the tent. After a few tries the deer decided to get up an leave. Quite comical to me and my sisters. I do not think the camper felt the same.
 

murphybridget

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ArnelGP, I had the versatility to play a fashion show for the pretty ladies to walk down the runway. I played on stage in a seedy bar or two. The instrument I play weighs more than I do. I was and still am a musician, but I never played trumpet publicly (even though I can play it). I only played accordion once or twice publicly, even though I can play that. I played electric bass guitar only a few times even though I can play that. I have even played piano in a recording session even though not is not my instrument. I'm an organist.

Out of curiosity, why do you think musician is a better word? Is there something in your culture about that?
Yes, because you still play music.
 

NauticalGent

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I remember when this thread started and intentionally did not participate because I experienced "writer's block" every time I started to reply.

I have been put in positions that have allowed me to experience many events that would qualify was "single most memorable" for most people. I could go on and on listing them but then I would remember something else and go "oh yeah...", and have to start over.

As a family man, I would be compelled to say "the birth of my daughter", but then they gave me grandchildren and so on and so forth...

But...

Having thought on this from time to time, I would have to say that the time I lived abroad in Europe (2012-2019) and Japan (1983-1985) are hands down the most memorable and significant periods in my life. Opened my eyes and most importantly, IMHO, broadened my objectivity.

All that is well and good, but I want to add - and I mean this sincerely - what makes life so great for me is that even though I have experienced much, I truly feel like there are more events that will equal and possibly rival those events.

I am truly living a life I have not earned and sure as HELL do not deserve, yet here we are and I will ride this horse until it falls out from under me...
 

The_Doc_Man

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Now, three years later, this thread re-opens. I've had other experiences that were moving, profound, or just a lot of fun.

When the Apollo program finally put Neil Armstrong on the moon, Dad and I stayed up to watch. It was late in our time zone but we stayed the course. (Counts as "profound".)

Dad and I were not sports fans but we were in Washington DC in 1974 and had the chance to attend the first home game of the Washington Capitals hockey team. They played against the Chicago Blackhawks and won. I had a chance to explain ice hockey to Dad, who was himself a football person. I was more ecumenical about sports at the time. Like the old joke, "we went to a fight and a hockey game broke out." We also had a chance to see just how rough the sport could be when Keith Magnussen stopped a slap-shot on goal, leading with his chin. The game stopped for several minutes and when they got him to stand up, his white "away game" short had streaks of red. Two guys helped him up and supported him as the took him off the ice. He was definitely in another dimension at the time. His lights were on but nobody was home. (Counts as "fun.")

When I got married and not long after that my stepson turned me into a grandpa, holding my brand new grandson for the first time fell into the "moving" category.
 

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