What are the last Genuine / Authentic Experiences?
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The wife and I frequent Malaysia as often as we can, primarily because her side of the family is there. When I go I always try to exploit the economic advantage I have there and make a point to do anything I wouldn't ordinarily do mostly because of lack of interest.
In past trips I snorkled a coral reef and swam alongside a school of jellyfish, I played 18 holes of golf, I went squid fishing with a neighbor fisherman, and I have walked the tea plantations in the camaroon highlands in a mist (photo's didn;t expose properly, came out all milky).
There are lots more examples but, the point here is that, I could care less about jellyfish much less if they are within feet of me, I have absolutley no interest in Golf, fishing is okay but I don't eat seafood much, and the only other time I "hike" anywhere is if the car broke down and I need to find a phone (has never happened).
In past trips I snorkled a coral reef and swam alongside a school of jellyfish, I played 18 holes of golf, I went squid fishing with a neighbor fisherman, and I have walked the tea plantations in the camaroon highlands in a mist (photo's didn;t expose properly, came out all milky).
There are lots more examples but, the point here is that, I could care less about jellyfish much less if they are within feet of me, I have absolutley no interest in Golf, fishing is okay but I don't eat seafood much, and the only other time I "hike" anywhere is if the car broke down and I need to find a phone (has never happened).
MikeFlynn74
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Ive gone 4 wheeling in parts of Alaska few people have seen. I really treasure those moments.
I spent a year in Korea where I thrived going into town and finding local diners. I love Korean food. Too many people would seek out the local BK or McDs when they were there.
I spent many days wandering Seoul and partying in places where no one spoke english. I knew enough korean to get me into trouble.
I walked downtown in a Market in Baghdad and ate with the locals in 2005. Granted it was heavily patrolled at the time. But that wasnt exactly the most peaceful time in Iraq either.
I spent a year in Korea where I thrived going into town and finding local diners. I love Korean food. Too many people would seek out the local BK or McDs when they were there.
I spent many days wandering Seoul and partying in places where no one spoke english. I knew enough korean to get me into trouble.
I walked downtown in a Market in Baghdad and ate with the locals in 2005. Granted it was heavily patrolled at the time. But that wasnt exactly the most peaceful time in Iraq either.
Soulive
Well-Known Member
I think someone said something similar, but one great brewing-related experience is hop growing. Going from the rhizome to the glass with your hops is very rewarding and satisfying. You have no choice but to wait and nurture the plant for about 5 months. Then more time waiting for them to dry out until you finally toss them into the boil. Then you wait out the fermentation and conditioning. About 7-8 months after planting you can taste your hard work and begin thinking about starting over again in a few months. Its awesome...
Laughing_Gnome_Invisible
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I havn't yet read this thread, but I'll respond before the moment leaves me.. Great thought provoking thread!! I might be a bit on a tangent until I read back 
For me, I have a long and lingering memory of a time on the banks of the Loire river in France that I would recommend to anyone for it's simplicity. Good luck finding it though! I was working on a house renovation for a friend. His neighbour invited me for a glass of wine in his stone shed. Inside his "shed" were five 100 gallon vats full of his own wine made from his own small vinyard. I can't recall exactly what he had beyond a Muscadet and a rose, but we shared a few glasses, and it was heaven. In the small amount of space left after the place was filled with the vats, he had one solitary chair, and one nudie calender on the wall. It was all he needed. Don't get me wrong, this was not about alcohol fuelled porn. I've just never seen anyone before or since that had everything that he loved in such small a space. This memory is one of the "happy places" I revisit in my mind from time to time.
For me, I have a long and lingering memory of a time on the banks of the Loire river in France that I would recommend to anyone for it's simplicity. Good luck finding it though! I was working on a house renovation for a friend. His neighbour invited me for a glass of wine in his stone shed. Inside his "shed" were five 100 gallon vats full of his own wine made from his own small vinyard. I can't recall exactly what he had beyond a Muscadet and a rose, but we shared a few glasses, and it was heaven. In the small amount of space left after the place was filled with the vats, he had one solitary chair, and one nudie calender on the wall. It was all he needed. Don't get me wrong, this was not about alcohol fuelled porn. I've just never seen anyone before or since that had everything that he loved in such small a space. This memory is one of the "happy places" I revisit in my mind from time to time.
eschatz
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It seems like we're all trying to get back to childhood when everything was life changing and new. It's hard for most of us to step back that far. It's so admirable to try though. There are so many experiences that are gone forever because they've been overworked or undernourished. All of these places that we're talking about have been "infected" with globalization. The "genuine/authentic" experiences are hard to find. But, if you dont search for them or if you havent had one in awhile you start to forget they exist. That's the saddest part.
homebrewer_99
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Well, I've done more things and been to more places than most of the people on this Earth will ever do so I'm quite satisified with my life (so far...) :rockin:
Just learned something today that I'll have to check into:
Salvia divinorum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Just learned something today that I'll have to check into:
Salvia divinorum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
JVD_X
Well-Known Member
Sailing alone across the Atlantic on a 35 foot wooden ketch on your way to the canary islands with nothing but the cold spray of the waves on the midnight to 8 am shift. The moon so bright it looks like day while keeping your eye out for those huge whales that came up on the port side of the boat...
Mutilated1
Beer Drenched Executioner
Ever cut the umbilical cord on your newborn child ? Thats pretty genuine - the kind of thing that will stay with you for a while.
Fingers
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Ya crazy old bugger! Tell ya what. I'll come and babysit your trip and drink your beer if you let me chat up that pretty little thing (must be your cousin) in your profile picture. I promise I'll keep you from separating into a point source of energy.
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I should add anything that's mano a mano. I'm no UFC fighter or anything, but you get yourself squared off against another person in competition and that's the real deal.
IMHO, too many people think that sports are all about reaching the Olympics and becoming a champion. They forget that there's simply the thrill of competition. Grinding it out for the sake of competition will always be a genuine/authentic experience.
My girlfriend sleeps with an aluminum softball bat by her bed. If someone breaks in, that's her weapon of choice. She played in college. Me, I have an epee and a number of years experience in how to use it. I've had my ass handed to me by many an olympic hopeful, but I'm sure the guy knocking down my door won't be so swift...
Just getting onto the mat/piste/ring with someone for the sake of competition will always be a genuine experience. Helmets, masks, rules may change the appearance of the competition but the core remains true... Getting your ass beat by a true champion is something to remember. Somewhere there's a picture of me squared off over a table, one-on-one against Alexander Shabalov. Cool stuff....
IMHO, too many people think that sports are all about reaching the Olympics and becoming a champion. They forget that there's simply the thrill of competition. Grinding it out for the sake of competition will always be a genuine/authentic experience.
My girlfriend sleeps with an aluminum softball bat by her bed. If someone breaks in, that's her weapon of choice. She played in college. Me, I have an epee and a number of years experience in how to use it. I've had my ass handed to me by many an olympic hopeful, but I'm sure the guy knocking down my door won't be so swift...
Just getting onto the mat/piste/ring with someone for the sake of competition will always be a genuine experience. Helmets, masks, rules may change the appearance of the competition but the core remains true... Getting your ass beat by a true champion is something to remember. Somewhere there's a picture of me squared off over a table, one-on-one against Alexander Shabalov. Cool stuff....
I have a couple friends who recently returned from two weeks in Papua-New Guinea. From what they said, that was a pretty damned authentic trip.
TL
TL
blacklab
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My sister in law just got back from Cuba. You have to fly to Mexico and go from there as there is technically still no in or out from the US. She said in some ways it was like travelling back in time to the 60's.
brewthunda
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In '98/'99 I spent 6 weeks in Fiji as a consultant, doing a scouting mission for some promoters who wanted to put on a Millennium party for 30,000 people. My job involved sitting on hut floors for hours and hours with village chieftans, drinking cocounut shell after coconut shell of kava while we negotiated how festival goers could camp in the village's fields. My partners and I rented a house in the main town and spent every day meeting local businessmen, governmental ministers, and the like. For Christmas, we took a boat to the island of Kadavu . . then another boat to a little 5 hut eco-resort. A 45 minute hike along the water brought us to the village of Kadavu (there were no roads). The villagers put on a little dance show for us, then led us to the chief's waterfall. By hiking up a ladder mounted within the rushing waterfall, you could climb to a cave . . and by swimming 100' or so to the back of the cave, there was a 50' waterfall cascading from the cave roof. Swimming around in the back of that cave was about as "authentic" as you can get.
Other great experiences:
Family camp trips.
Annual blueberry picking at my parents' farm.
Woodworking.
Growing our own herbs and vegetables and then making great food with them.
Scuba diving in some pretty remote places.
And most recently: 3 days of race car driving school at Portland International Raceway. This was the real deal. 10 students, 5 cars, 5 instructors. All but 2 of us owned their own race suits and helmets and had raced before. 3 of the students owned their own race cars. Driving open cockpit SCCA Ford Spec Racers. It was by far the most raw and real experience I've ever had. It wasn't like some sort of "experience what a real race car is like" deal . . it was more like, "ok, get in those cars and go as fast as possible . . and try not to die."
Every moment was driving at the threshold: Flat on the gas in the straightaway at 110 mph until the very last possible 1/2 second before jumping as hard as possible on the brakes - until your wheels lock up and you have to curl your toes back just enough to get the wheels moving again. Driving so fast that the only place that you can brake is when you're pointed in a perfectly straight line, because any turn at all will spin you right off the course. Driving so fast through the turns that if you find that you're going too fast the only option is to just bear down on the gas even more, because the slightest lift of the throttle will send you spinning.
It was insane. My butt was literally 3" above the tarmac. The seatbelt harness was so tight that I had bruises all over my body. I spun out 3 times and actually went off the course twice in an underwear-destroying flat spin. We raced flat out for about 4-5 hours of those three days and every moment was a mix of adrenaline, intense fear, joy, panic and sense of accomplishment.
Other great experiences:
Family camp trips.
Annual blueberry picking at my parents' farm.
Woodworking.
Growing our own herbs and vegetables and then making great food with them.
Scuba diving in some pretty remote places.
And most recently: 3 days of race car driving school at Portland International Raceway. This was the real deal. 10 students, 5 cars, 5 instructors. All but 2 of us owned their own race suits and helmets and had raced before. 3 of the students owned their own race cars. Driving open cockpit SCCA Ford Spec Racers. It was by far the most raw and real experience I've ever had. It wasn't like some sort of "experience what a real race car is like" deal . . it was more like, "ok, get in those cars and go as fast as possible . . and try not to die."
Every moment was driving at the threshold: Flat on the gas in the straightaway at 110 mph until the very last possible 1/2 second before jumping as hard as possible on the brakes - until your wheels lock up and you have to curl your toes back just enough to get the wheels moving again. Driving so fast that the only place that you can brake is when you're pointed in a perfectly straight line, because any turn at all will spin you right off the course. Driving so fast through the turns that if you find that you're going too fast the only option is to just bear down on the gas even more, because the slightest lift of the throttle will send you spinning.
It was insane. My butt was literally 3" above the tarmac. The seatbelt harness was so tight that I had bruises all over my body. I spun out 3 times and actually went off the course twice in an underwear-destroying flat spin. We raced flat out for about 4-5 hours of those three days and every moment was a mix of adrenaline, intense fear, joy, panic and sense of accomplishment.
TheJadedDog
AFK ATM
I've got to say, I've been learning how to play guitar and it is definitely a new/authentic experience so I'd like to add, learning to do something new to the list.
jds
Well-Known Member
I'll throw in a few:
I'm sure there's a lot more of those to go around.
- Oktoberfest in Munich. Haven't done this yet.
- Rivertripping with a private party (as opposed to a commercial trip).
- Watching a solar eclipse.
- Watching your child's birth.
- Sleeping under the stars in the wilderness.
I'm sure there's a lot more of those to go around.
You want real experience? I have just the thing. I own a desert eagle .50 and I'm telling you what, you haven't lived till you've shot large fruit in mass quantities with this thing. It's expensive to shoot at $1.50 a shot but man it sure is fun.
You can borrow my gun any time you like.
You can borrow my gun any time you like.
Great thread. I've enjoyed reading each of these posts, quite a nice change from the rest of the day today. In thinking about this a bit, I think that "authenticity" has a true duality to it that is very interesting.
In one sense authenticity for me is very much akin to experiencing something that is very outside of my normal sense of "self". Yet authenticity other respects it is very centered on those things which we tend to define as self; things like our particular personality, our character, and how we react to things outside of ourselves.
In no order, I think my list would have to include:
1) Being in true wilderness - I did a backpacking trip in the Sierras where we did backcountry for a solid nine days and ended up with about seventy five miles and then did map guided trails for another four days.
2) Doing alot with very little - Being without is different than "going" without in that the later denotes agency. Some of the most important lessons that I've learned in life however have come at the hand of either and I look back on them as being truely "authentic".
3) Creation - Building something, giving life, and generally deriving purpose through and out of our actions is truely authentic.
4) Being a part of a true community - I've been in areas of the world where I've had a greater sense of what this was like and as a result I've been able to not only find it at home but I've been able to understand how to build it at home.
5) Improvisation - Making things up as you go along, whether it's playing music with a complete stranger in perfect time, figuring out a complex problem with an uterly simple solution, or just plain ol' hitch hiking to get where you need to go.
arturo7
Well-Known Member
Live music
with the following caveots:
no garage cover bands; no synthesizers, sequencers or drum machines; no aging has-beens; no arenas; no staduims; no record company mega-stars
and there's also fly fishing in the middle of nowhere
with the following caveots:
no garage cover bands; no synthesizers, sequencers or drum machines; no aging has-beens; no arenas; no staduims; no record company mega-stars
and there's also fly fishing in the middle of nowhere
Jim Karr
Well-Known Member
Two of the most outstanding experiences I ever had was baptizing my very own SWMBO and my very own daughter into a life with Jesus Christ. Yes, I know I'll probably get flak from this post, but when you realize that you're instrumental in giving someone a gift of forever, it's awesome.
adrock
Well-Known Member
Look, I've had a little too much to drink to add anything too original to this thread, but I do have a suggestion for Munich Helles. Christian Moerlein Original Golden Helles. It's not my favorite style, and I've not had a Helles in Munich for comparison, but I'd imagine it's quite good if you're into that kind of thing. Problem is it's only available in Cincinnati at this time.
But while you're here, have some Cincinnati chili! Can't get that anywhere else...probably 'cause nobody else wants it.
But while you're here, have some Cincinnati chili! Can't get that anywhere else...probably 'cause nobody else wants it.
BuffaloSabresBrewer
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Few things that come to mind, some already mentioned.
1. Fight Club, as in the movie. Worked in a restaurant and we had a fight club. One of the most amazing experiences of my life. You really havent lived until you have had you ass kicked and you kicked someones ass. Done both many a time.
2. Permonce or some kind. PLayed in a battle of the bands. On level ground with the audience like 2 feet away. They watch your fingers move sway back and forth to the music. Another thing you cant forget
3. I was a Boy Scout also so I have many wilderness memories.
4.. Being stranded on a spur of the moment road trip and meeting amazing people.
1. Fight Club, as in the movie. Worked in a restaurant and we had a fight club. One of the most amazing experiences of my life. You really havent lived until you have had you ass kicked and you kicked someones ass. Done both many a time.
2. Permonce or some kind. PLayed in a battle of the bands. On level ground with the audience like 2 feet away. They watch your fingers move sway back and forth to the music. Another thing you cant forget
3. I was a Boy Scout also so I have many wilderness memories.
4.. Being stranded on a spur of the moment road trip and meeting amazing people.
Mutilated1
Beer Drenched Executioner
Had a pretty genuine experience today. Muzzleloading season starts on Monday, so I picked up my hunting license cruised by the gun shop and stocked up on Sabot and 777 grabbed my Knight 209 Bighorn and my 12 year old son and headed out to my shooting range where I already had some targets set up that I've been shooting at all summer and fall.
Turned the last corner on the forest path and right as I got to the shooting range right there in front of the 50 yard targets stood a huge 10 point buck and two does, maybe 75 yards away. First thought was to load up and take him, but then I realized I'm still 72 hours more or less from legal season so we just stood there and watched. Its hard to keep a 12 year old boy quiet to watch deer... "Dad! Is that a buck ?" "Dad! Are you going to shoot him ?" "Dad, can I shoot him ?", but the deer didn't seem to mind or be concerned about us at all.
If it would have been next Sunday afternoon instead of Friday afternoon, I'd be putting him in the freezer right now - but he seemed to know we couldn't do anything but look. He let us admire him for 3-4 minutes before he took his lady friends off and let us shoot at our targets.
Turned the last corner on the forest path and right as I got to the shooting range right there in front of the 50 yard targets stood a huge 10 point buck and two does, maybe 75 yards away. First thought was to load up and take him, but then I realized I'm still 72 hours more or less from legal season so we just stood there and watched. Its hard to keep a 12 year old boy quiet to watch deer... "Dad! Is that a buck ?" "Dad! Are you going to shoot him ?" "Dad, can I shoot him ?", but the deer didn't seem to mind or be concerned about us at all.
If it would have been next Sunday afternoon instead of Friday afternoon, I'd be putting him in the freezer right now - but he seemed to know we couldn't do anything but look. He let us admire him for 3-4 minutes before he took his lady friends off and let us shoot at our targets.
Laughing_Gnome_Invisible
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A really good dutch oven ranks pretty high on my list.
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