Saturday, June 20, 2015

I Triple Dog Dare You, Naty!

What would you do on a dare?  The answer to this probably depends on who you ask.  Watch cable television long enough and you will find that some people will do completely inane things simple because they are dared.  Compare this to people like my husband, who, when dared, are actually repelled from whatever the dare involves. (I’d like to publicly ‘thank’ him for passing this trait on to our daughter, who won’t do anything she is asked to do.)  What’s it like to pass through adolescence virtually immune to peer pressure? 

I, Naty Severson, seem to have an extreme weakness when it comes to being dared.  If the dare is not morally questionable and will not hurt others, I have a hard time saying no. 

Small Dares… Last night while camping, my cousin, after stating it was impossible to evenly roast a rectangular marshmallow, dared me to do it.  In his defense, I had just finished a six-minute soliloquy that basically implied that I was the best marshmallow roaster that the world has ever seen.  Naturally, I accepted his dare. 


Before




After


This particular dare had very low stakes and a very short time frame.


Crazy Big Dares… Late one night last summer at a cabin in Northern Minnesota I, as I like to do, began shooting off my over-active mouth claiming that anyone who put their mind to it could write a novel.  Sensing an opportunity for a legendary dare, my friends capitalized on my inability to decline a dare and challenged me to write my own novel. 

The terms of the dare:
  • Write a fiction Trilogy
  • The novel must have a modern day setting (i.e. no dystopian or supernatural elements)
  • The story must center around a love triangle
  • Include 22 specific and totally ridiculous plot points (example: the main character has to be a peanut butter heiress who is allergic to peanuts) 

With the terms of the dare set, I started putting plot points together, created an outline, and eventually wrote the first several chapters.  To my surprise, my friends not only liked my first chapters… they wanted more.


Well, I wrote a book. To be more accurate a 87,000 word novel. 


Before you ask... 
  • No it's not published... Yet. 
  • No, it's really unlikely that I would let you read it as it is. But feel free to make a case for yourself as an exception. 
  • Yes, it's a legit good book. 


Why this post? 

I like a good challenge, and I need some fresh ideas.  I’m looking for your suggestions! 

DARE RULES:

Let's keep this all above board. This is not an excuse to be...
  • Moronic
  • Dangerous
  • Hurtful


This is a chance to be...
  • Clever
  • Creative
  • Innovative
  • Funny


Fine Print:  Like peanut butter and jelly are meant to go together, some dares were just meant for particular people.  Therefore, I reserve the right to pass dares on to others for whom they are perfectly suited.  


So what do you have for me?  Leave a comment below and I might just take you up on your dare… as long as it’s wholesome and good-natured. 


33 comments:

  1. I dare you to go sky diving. I dare me to come.

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  2. I dare you to get your picture taken at Glamour Shots and use it as your Facebook profile picture. (I won't make you be on horseback as once discussed for Sarah's birthday). I will come with.

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    Replies
    1. This is so, so terrible. I want to vomit just thinking about it. Can people still get Glamour Shots?

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. well this is the pits. my initial google searching told me you could still do this at MOA, but upon further investigation, it is closed. The closest location is in Wisconsin. Perhaps we can improvise...

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    4. With my mom as a hairdresser and Laura's photography skills, we can make this happen in house!

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    5. Um. Yes. I have a camera and a studio and know where a great Goodwill is :)

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  3. I dare you to carry around chopsticks (in your purse) and take them out to eat foods you wouldn't traditionally eat with chopsticks. Like French friends. :)

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    Replies
    1. What is the time frame on this dare? Is it an ongoing not thing?

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  4. Naty, I, Ali Gabriel, dare you to wear oven mitts on both hands for a period of 24 hours. Please select a day for this dare that you do not work (NO "work pass" on this dare!). Also, I shall kindly allow you to remove 1 mitt ONLY for wiping ;)

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    Replies
    1. That is a very kind (and sanitary) exception to the dare. Thank you.

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    2. I will be doing this dare tomorrow (6/25/15)! Get ready for the retaliation dare, Ali!

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  5. A dare submitted by Nick and Jesse via my website (natyseverson.com):

    Go out for ice cream with your daughter wearing completely matching outfits. Must have photographic evidence.

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  6. Oh Fun!

    I have a few:

    1) Wear your hair down, with out a hat or any other type of head covering, every day for a week.

    2) Go to the top of a tall, populated place (like maybe the Empire State Building) and yell, "I'm the king of the world."

    3) Us only a bowl and your hands (no cups, cutlery, cans, plates, etc) to eat / drink all of your food for a minimum of three days.

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  7. I, your brother, dare you, for 24+ hours, to replace the word "I" in all conversation, texts, emails and blogs with the phrase "I, Naty Severson". This would be on a non work day.

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  8. I, your brother, dare you to wear 24, completely different and unique outfits in a one day period. All external clothing must be changed and no piece of clothing can be worn twice. I will give you a pass on shoes but you can only wear any pair of shoes three times. And they can never be worn back to back. Though not required it would be better if you spent a lot of the day doing stuff outside the home.

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    Replies
    1. .......Each outfit must be worn for at least 20 minutes

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  9. I dare you to wear a clothing item backwards for a day and whenever someone mentions it - you must suggest that they get their eyes checked.

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  10. I dare you to:
    1. Prank call your mom multiple times with YOUR MOM jokes.
    2. Wear your hair in a high ponytail and lipstick and talk like a valley girl for a whole day. This should include many public appearances and photographic evidence.
    3. Wear a skirt/dress in public and intentionally hang some toilet paper out the back until someone tells you that its there.

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    Replies
    1. YES. I love all of this. Bright red lipstick.

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    2. Do you girls have some bright red lipstick I could borrow?

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    3. Naty, if you want to take up this dare I will buy you your very own tube of red lipstick.

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  11. Naty, I would love to read your book. I'm up for a good laugh, in that your book would be funny. I figured I could be an exception to your rule above!!

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  12. I dare you, for 24 hours, to eat what you normally eat, only choose your meal first and then blend it together to drink as one happy steak and potato smoothie :)

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  13. Naty,
    I challenge you to consume the contents of a sams club sized jar of pickles in 1 week!!!

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    Replies
    1. I will do this one. I love pickles. Too easy.

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  14. I dare you to trim and mow the yard (to my liking)!

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  15. I dare you to trim and mow the yard (to my liking)!

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  16. I dare you to trim and mow the yard (to my liking)!

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