Rifles, handguns and archery. I’m very left leaning, don’t hunt and am for the most part a pacifist.
But I’ve been shooting the above for nearly 40 years. It’s like riding a bike.
I’m good at giving people the Spanish Inquisition.
Acting, singing and public speaking. I’m very shy and reserved and sometimes blush in the middle of conversations, so people assume that performing frightens me more than death. It’s kind of fun to watch their jaws drop when I get on stage.
I meant that I can’t club dance without looking like a fool, actually. I need some structure.
Yeah, I think I freaked out one of our younger electricians when I noted that it’s important to clean up the little strands of wire when you’re attaching a plug, because if you don’t and the plug shorts, the wire vaporizes in a big hot flash. Then I noted that this technique is often used as a remote detonator in homemade bombs. She’s been giving me a wide berth ever since.
And come to think of it, she’s a fencer too!
I used to be able to do a respectable amount of pull-ups, even though I looked average. Now I can’t though…bummer.
There are certain anatomical and personality attributes that can surprise people about me, but I can’t really claim those as a skill.
Clean the house.
I don’t look like anyone’s mental picture of a person who can go all OCD about scrubbing and polishing, and it’s also not something I do very often (not that I live in a cesspool but I’m immune to clutter until it falls over on top of me).
When we’re due to have folks over to visit, though, my gf has been amazed/amused at times to find me polishing the chrome on the shower curtain rod or upending furniture to clean the bottoms of the chair legs, etc
Certain kinds of social interaction. I like to think that there are a few people out there who found me charming when they didn’t expect to. Of course, I could be lying to myself.
Also, long-distance bike rides.
That I can sleep anywhere and in places that would make a cat say “man doesn’t that hurt?”
Many people don’t know I was a competitive handgun shooter for a few years…so having someone rip off a 4-5 shot volley and put them all center mass at 25 yards will result in a few “whoa” effects if someone has never been to the range with me.
Also, cool in a crisis…
which is ironic because sometimes I freak out about stupid little shit…
Drop me in the middle of an 80 car pileup on the freeway and you would swear I do this all day, even 20 years out of the biz. I have come up on various emergencies over the years…for whatever reason, people back off as I approach because look like I must be someone who knows how to handle this.
EMS types are of course immune, they just ask you to help if they need another pair of hands.