Just one thing

curly_carly-jane · 02-20-2009, 10:15 AM

Ok, say one thing about yourself that you think would surprise others (e.g. what you have done, been through etc). Obviously, don't say it if it makes
you so uncomfortable to share it.

The New Black · 02-20-2009, 12:38 PM

I never had a headache until I was 17. I've now had one for 3 or 4 days.

rainshower · 02-20-2009, 01:00 PM

i've never traveled out of my time zone.

rudeechick · 02-20-2009, 01:14 PM

Waiting for marraige was likely a mistake, in my case.

Starrwithoutnite · 02-20-2009, 06:40 PM

I like my cats more than I like most people. Oh wait, you said something that would SURPRISE others?? LOL.

jmw · 02-20-2009, 07:42 PM

I was alone during all three of my pregnancies including the births.

CurlyEyes · 02-20-2009, 09:51 PM

In second grade, the school was worried about me because I never talked. So I used to have to go to this program (Time Together) to learn to be around other people.

Now, I have a hard time staying quiet. Several of my friends voted me Most Talkative for the yearbook.

gekko422 · 02-20-2009, 10:06 PM

I have lived on both the east coast and west coast of Africa.

mayim · 02-20-2009, 10:50 PM

i've never had a bloody nose or broken bone.

(oops, is that two things?)

m

guinness · 02-20-2009, 11:11 PM

I used to race bikes. Road bikes and mountain bikes.

sew and sew · 02-21-2009, 12:13 AM

I don't have a social security number.

The New Black · 02-21-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westcoastcurls

I don't have a social security number.

Interesting...Why not? How not? How do you get stuff that people need an SS# to get?

SarcasmIsBeauty · 02-21-2009, 03:40 PM

I'm afraid of driving over bridges!

sew and sew · 02-21-2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Quote:

Originally Posted by westcoastcurls

I don't have a social security number.

Interesting...Why not? How not? How do you get stuff that people need an SS# to get?

Alright this is the long answer, but it's my best follow up question preemptive one...(though I don't mind covering something I won't here..)
Philosophical/Christian objection. A lot of people wonder if that means I think SSNs are the mark of the beast, and I don't. The system could be rolled over into that (would be no problem linking up most major nation's systems, already do to an extent), but it seems there's a greater chance social security will just be replaced with an entirely new system. So I'm not opting out making that connection, there's enough other motivators, but at the same time it could be a precursor.

Apparently the year after I was born (86), it became more routine for it to almost seem mandatory in order to take your baby out of the hospital. My dad opted out for my brothers and I, but he always left the choice to get one up to us. He didn't pressure the viewpoint that motivated him to not get us one. My brothers wound up getting one when they wanted to drive. I was looking up if I needed my parents with me (was 17 at the time) to go and get one, and I found a guy's excellently researched website that gave more weight to the objections my dad had. They connected with me, so I decided I would just stay out of the system for now. Haven't yet opted in.

The district of the two year college I went to was sued for using ssn's as school identification numbers right before I attended, so I was able to use their own number for that. Four year also used school specific numbers. So I've been able to complete school. I just have never driven legally (at 17/18 I drove around a bit illegally...obviously not a good idea, haven't since) and I haven't had an over the table job. It's definitely difficult to establish an independent life, may get one or may keep pursuing alternative means of supporting myself.

Stark libertarians tend to understand the plight, and one such chronicled his "life without a number" online. He recently moved to Ecuador from Pennsylvania. He actually drove around without a license in Penn, since there was no possible means for him to get one without an SSN and SSNs are voluntary by law. He was pulled over and cited, summoned to court and ordered to pay a fine. He never payed it, cited the Catch 22s, and was intending to take his case further if it got to that, but the court just dropped it. Here in CA the red tape is incredibly thick though. Even though it would be illegal to ignore the merit of the argument, the convolution all the red tape lends would make it seem like it's not.

It should be possible to have a tax id number, or use an employee identification number for work. Ironically, it's easier to get a tax id number for yourself as a person (for a separate entity like a business, the rules are different) if you're foreign born than it is if you are native born. The hurdle left is for a prospective employer to feel your worth the trouble in figuring out how you can be processed. It's actually not difficult, but they have to be willing to discover that for themselves...and not find the lack of one too uncomfortably strange. So I'm pursuing that route while pursuing my own business on the side. I'm not eligible for Social Security benefits obviously, and am totally fine with that. Wouldn't be required to pay into them either.