Our very own humiliation/embarassment thread

[CyclaSutra]

... in my day (a hundred years ago) my Mom used to make us sit at the table and ... she's gonna torture me until I eat that liver. As an adult I had to go into therapy because of those liver dinners (and uh well yes, maybe because of my Mom).

Um, my dad would turn on the 12-inch black-and-white television in the kitchen and make us watch PBS specials about starving Ethiopians until we'd eat our vegetables.

"Those starvin' little kids in Africa would LOVE to have your green beans!" Daddy would shout.

"Send them over there!" I'd tearfully and defiantly say.

Yes, parental issues... whole new thread for that one?

[bikerchick68]

OMG... this is SUCH a great thread... at some level I can relate to every single thread... you have me cracking up here...

hey Dianyla... that sign you posted... THAT'S IT! That is exactly what I did... what a riot... I don't feel quite so bad now that I know enough people do it to warrant a sign!

[Melody]

This is where I feel lucky. There's only a few foods that I won't eat and typically I'll try anything a couple of times.

Of course *other* people think I'm just odd for eating some of things I do eat. I just point out cultural differences.

However, I will _not_ eat fish eyes. My parents did. I just could not deal with the fish staring back at me. They were taunting me. Taunting I tell you.

Mel

[crazycanuck]

Why Why why do/did parents make their kids eat liver?

Ahhh the memories of childhood-KISS, liver & banana seat bikes...

c

[Robin]

As a freshman I joined the bike club to meet people and stay active. Unfortunately for me I didn't know the area and when they took us on the first long ride I peddled my a$$ off to keep up with the more experienced riders (I really didn't want to get lost out in the country). Well, we go down around the reservour, and then a couple miles into it we start up this monster hill. I can't ride any more so I put my foot down to walk the rest of the hill and I have no feeling in my legs and collapse right there Not embarrassing enough, a couple days later I'm eating lunch and hear someone from the bike club call out "HEY CRASH!" yup, that's me the only reason I lived it down is that soon after some "experienced" riders got lost and ended up in another state!!!

[Lise]

I would say the time my skinny tire (1978) caught a groove on a dirt path and I face planted...or the time I rode my bike to school when it was still too cold, hit a patch of ice, flipped sideways onto the street, and ripped up my pantyhose (1977)--I was riding in a SKIRT? Don't remember that, but I do remember ripped pantyhose and road rash. I would say those times, but those were just accidents.

The most humbling thing that happens these days is getting the back crotch of my bike shorts caught on the nose of my saddle when I'm trying to get back on the bike as the light turns green. Sheesh.

[bikerHen]

Why Why why do/did parents make their kids eat liver? c

I love liver. Sauteed with onions! Yum! Even liked it as a kid. BikerHen

[Crankin]

I've had a few embarrassing momements. I think the worst was last July when I went on my first group mtb ride. It was described as a "meander." It was 98 degrees out and half the people had bikes that looked like they were falling apart and they had jeans on. The ride was in a place that I cross country ski in, so I thought it would be OK. Let me tell you, I walked most of it and spent the rest of the time screaming, sweating, and swearing. I was last. The sweep was getting pissed at me. Then, at the end, when we went out on the road to get back to our cars, I thought I would faint trying to ride that mb up a big hill on the road with those little cranks. I didn't get back on my mb until last Sunday.

Then there was the time I crashed going down a 20% grade on my first tour in vermont. It was a little wet out and I was freaked out by the descent. I was screaming, "MY brakes failed," and my husband was yelling at me to just let go of the brakes... I decided to go down instead. I was lying in the road, still clipped in when some people down the road at a historic covered bridge were yelling, "Are you OK?" I was so embarrassed, I got right up and rode off and finished the ride. But the next day i was so sore and bruised, I couldn't do the big climb.
I only fell once from forgetting to unclip, in the middle of a busy intersection with cars all around me. That never happened again. But I have an intense dislike of stops where you come to a little rise and it's hard to start up again. No matter what gear I use, I always get nervous and sometimes drag myself across the road with the foot that's not clipped in. That's embarrassing!

[DirtDiva]

I love liver. Sauteed with onions! Yum! Even liked it as a kid. BikerHen

Mmmm mmmm. Lambs' fry and bacon. Never saw how eating liver and kidneys and what-have-you was any worse/different than eating meat. Soggy cereal, on the other hand...

[Geonz]

I've gone out to a group ride, gotten the bike out of the car in a pre-caffeine muddle, and put the back wheel on backwards (that's right, chain not lined up with derailleur). Funny thing, moving the pedals didn't move the bike! The group was just pulling off... but they stopped and waited while I fixed it...

... and I'm still working on that fear of not being strong enough to get the bike going, and scootering across a whole intersection... but it's getting bette.r