Post something unusual about yourself...

[daveT]

Or maybe about someone else, but nothing harmful.

I have an odd food intolerance. There is a bastardized name for it call Oral Allergy Reaction. While most of what has been researched is true, I can say that all of the symptoms are not well-studied or understood. As someone with this oddity, I can explain it like this:

This is not an actual allergy, as allergy has a specific medical definition. There is speculation that it derives a protein that is found in certain foods. This protein, when cooked, tends to boil away. I, for example cannot eat raw peppers, carrots, or potatoes, but do fine when they are cooked. Tomatoes are one exception (later), and I cannot eat carrot cake, although I can handle them fried.

But the lists continues. Many people seem to describe it as "not able to eat friut with a peel," or "no foods with seeds," These generalizations are only helpful to those who don't understand, but they still think you are crazy.

I am guessing that certain foods are more dangerous to some people than others with this condition. I read someone say peaches and plums are venomous. I am not able to be within smelling distance of bananas without falling terribly ill. Strawberries, melons, and cucumbers are practically lethal.

Anyways, most people don't believe me when I tell them about this, fortunately, the subject doesn't come up to often, but one of my exes was a vegan, and always wanted to share food. I also sometimes had to explain to people why I didn't want to enjoy the pizza, as it included tomatoes and pepperoni.

To say the least, I always decline a dinner evite, the few times I have been badgered into taking the invitation has always ended badly, because I had "to be rude" and ask what ingredients was used, and also had to pick apart food and sometimes not eat at all and go to Taco Bell or something.

The oddest part of this is that sometimes the foods I can eat change suddenly. A month ago, I could eat apples and lettuce, but that changed one day, and I always learn this stuff the hard way. It seems that now I can eat oranges and tomatoes. For about two years, I couldn't drink tea.

People tend to accuse me of seeking attention and trying to be funny, or not liking foods. "Didn't my mother raise me right?"

Well, excuse me, but who wouldn't want to sit with a lover and eat chocolate-covered strawberries, or enjoy a banana split? Perhaps because of it's impossible to fully enjoy, salad happens to be one of my favorite foods. Notice that a month ago I could eat the lettuce without the tomatoes, but now the problem is reversed.

Anyways, if you run into these sort of people, don't act incredulous, this is very real, and it has not been diagnosed as a psychological problem.

Anyways, the title of the post is

"Post something unusual about yourself"

I guess you can talk about someone else, as I guess I set the bar pretty high. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Dominic]

i was going to say I can balance a golf club on my nose.

But you win.

[daveT]

You job counts as well Dominic. lol