I can't help but laugh when I think about the major events in my short life. It's always the funny memories that stick out.
Let's start with age 4. Imagine this: Purplesaurus Rex Kool-Aid just hits the market, you're young, and you're in desperate need of sugar. Well, I was visiting a relative (my "aunt" Shirley, to be exact) and I asked her for some. She tells me it's right next to the fridge. So, I go and search for my sweet nectar. Sure enough, a purple fluid lied next to the fridge, and I thought I should indulge. Well, it was paint thinner that I was guzzling. People still ask me to this day: "how couldn't you tell it was paint thinner?" My reply was and still is "how the hell do you expect me to remember? I WAS 4 AND UNCONSCIOUS!" I still haven't drank the stuff since, and I'm pretty sure it got discontinued.
Let's see...throwing up for 2 days in a car going to Disneyworld...OH, here's one. Skip ahead to 13 years old. My best friend at the time (Art Smith) was a country boy living in a hick city (Peru for those who haven't been paying attention). He loved motorcycles, and I was curious. We rode on his dirtbike one day in the woods in the north part of LaSalle. About an hour passes when he says, "hold on up here, Nate. It's very narrow. Don't make any sudden moves." I, Mr. Withoutacareintheworldatthetime, decided that I didn't have to. So, I shook that damn bike and fell to my right-DOWN A FREAKIN' CLIFF! Yup, Art was stuck at the top of the hill with the bike still revving on top of him. But me, I flipped backwards down the cliff for about 40-50 feet and landed on top of my head in a lake. I could have drowned, I could have had many concussions, but Art and I were perfectly fine. I still don't know why.
So, I already had 2 near death experiences by the time I was 13. How many people can say that?