We had a power outage recently, and our electricity was off for several hours. My wife, being careful of my safety, set a candle in the bathroom for me so I could see to shave and brush my teeth. When I went in there the first time, she warned me, "Don't set yourself on fire."

I reminded her that I have been living for 80 years and have yet to set myself on fire!

This reminded me of several other things that I haven't done in my brief 80 years. Here are a few of them:

I have lived in western South Dakota for more than 40 years, and I have never owned a pair of cowboy boots. I may be the only South Dakotan of my age who has never worn a pair of cowboy boots. Oh, I have owned a couple of cowboy hats over the years, but never boots. Most people don't believe me when I say that I have never worn a pair of jeans, but it is true. Frank Sinatra never wore jeans, either.

I have had rather definite eating habits during my life. There are some things I have not eaten and don't intend to. My wife is crazy about liver and onions, but I'm not. Believe it or not, my wife will eat lutefisk. Do I? Not on your life. I don't remember ever eating caviar, but I may have eaten it once by mistake.

I used to be fairly athletic, but I haven't done some things that good athletes do. For instance, I have never pitched a perfect game in baseball, not even a no-hitter. I have never bowled a perfect game in bowling, but I did once bowl seven strikes in a row. I used to play golf, but I don't remember ever shooting par.

I haven't ever jumped out of an airplane in a parachute. Actually, I have never jumped out of a plane without a parachute, either. I have never swam the English Channel, and I have never gone over Niagara Falls.

I have never driven a motorcycle, but at one time I owned a motor scooter. I have never had a tattoo, and I have no intention of ever getting one.

I have eaten lots of them, but I have never sucked a raw egg. Now, at one time in my life, I was around pigs quite a bit, but I never kissed one.

It may appear to my readers that I have lived a rather boring life by never having done any of these things. Maybe I should change this by buying a pair of cowboy boots or finding a pig to kiss.

Walter Higbee is a retired college educator living in Spearfish. Write him at the Rapid City Journal, Box 450, Rapid City, SD 57709.