# Are you an expert at anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 10, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415 "2014-01-10T01:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/61 "2014-01-11T02:32:06Z")
> [@sunstone](#): > > … As a hobby I grow exotic plants … Seymour Krelborn is that you? ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/62 "2014-01-11T05:06:28Z")
Aircraft oxygen systems. Test both passenger and crew oxygen systems for a large aircraft manufacturer and I am FAA certified to service and repair oxygen systems on private aircraft. I was hoping getting the FAA cert would allow me to retire early from my current employer and make a nice part time income. But with only a couple jobs a month on average, that prospect has gone to the wayside. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/63 "2014-01-11T05:58:03Z")
Installing acoustical grid ceilings, walking on adjustable stilts. The kind that adjust from 24" up to 40"and are used by painters, metal stud framers, sheetrock hangers, ceiling mechanics (see above) and various other construction trades. I can walk up and down stairs, climb ladders, and walk on uneven/rough ground. (even in the dark, with a pretty good buzz on! 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/64 "2014-01-11T06:42:02Z")
I am not an expert in anything. ---
**Author:** ![Spaghettifrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@Spaghettifrier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spaghettifrier)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/65 "2014-01-11T08:42:55Z")
“expert” is a strong word for me at my tender age and relative inexperience I’m an expert of the geography of Milwaukee county, including bike trails, parks, woods, and secret areas. If ever you need a tour of Milwaukee… I’m your fellerina. Unlike many many age I have no desire to ever move from my hometown (at least, not permanently). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/66 "2014-01-12T03:55:24Z")
As part of my buisness I do antique restorations. For the specific category I concentrate on, I would put my ability and skills alongside anybody in the world. I’ve had people bring me a pile of parts in a box. My buisness partner took over his grandfathers’ shop 25 years ago and is truly a master craftsman. There are 2 other shops within 100 miles that do what he does, when they no quote a job they give out his number. His humility is a hell of a thing to see. I’ve seen him do things that made my jaw drop, but he will always say Grandpa could have done it better or faster. Oh and I can open a beer can really well. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/67 "2014-01-12T05:51:59Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > If you want to measure and report on the ecological quality of wet nature, I’m your go to girl. Not in California you aren’t. That’s _my_ territory. US Clean Water Act consultant; expert in characterization and restoration of wetlands. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/68 "2014-01-12T13:33:58Z")
I’m an expert backer-upper, imo. I spent years working as a yard hostler for a freight company. As drivers arrived, I took their rigs (18-wheelers) and backed them in. Also fetched and assembled the doubles rigs and brought them to the front for the drivers. I spent more time in reverse than forward. Continuing brag; Over the years I’ve owned and pulled several tandem RV setups (usually Truck-\>Fifth-wheel-\>boat), and actually can back an entire rig into a spot if necessary. Our longest one was ~70 feet with 12 wheels on the ground. The wife and kids loved boating and skiing so I pulled these monstrosities to get us to out-of-the-way, unpopulated spots. Ski all day, then flip on the generator and retire to glorious AC. 😉 If you rewind a decade or two, I might have been considered an expert waterskiier, depending on your viewpoint. On a good day, I could run the buoy course, and I got good enough at barefoot skiing to do [deepwater](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7js4HBEhqc) starts. (not me, but a pretty good vid of what it’s like). ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/69 "2014-01-12T14:46:02Z")
At my job I have a good “working knowledge” in many disciplines related to electrical/electronics systems, and I do not consider myself an expert in anything. In any _specific_ discipline, there are many people who know _way_ more than me. But… the people I work for _ **think** _ I am an expert on all things electronic, which I find humorous. ---
**Author:** ![Vaevictis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vaevictis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vaevictis)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/70 "2014-01-13T03:25:18Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > Typically a science or mathematics Ph.D. makes you one of the foremost world experts in some extraordinarily narrow field. > > I wouldn’t know for sure, but this is probably also the case for Ph.D’s in any other discipline. I think that is generally the case but there are some fields in which a PhD is not the terminal degree. Classical musicians, for instance, often are considered expert with an MA. Are there any other disciplines in which you can be given life tenure to teach, for instance, without a PhD? I’m thinking some other arts might be the same. Creative writing, other pure arts rather than academic fields? ---
**Author:** ![Vaevictis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vaevictis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vaevictis)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/71 "2014-01-13T03:28:20Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Chess coach. > > I’ve been doing it for 40 years (the last 25 as my full-time job.) > > One of my students won the World U-18 Championship. 🆒 Cool, who won? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/72 "2014-01-13T13:40:12Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > Typically a science or mathematics Ph.D. makes you one of the foremost world experts in some extraordinarily narrow field. “Expertise in one field does not carry over into other fields. But experts often think so. The narrower their field of knowledge the more likely they are to think so.”\* — Robert Heinlein\* ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/73 "2014-01-13T16:33:31Z")
> [@nachtmusick](#): > > Not in California you aren’t. That’s _my_ territory. US Clean Water Act consultant; expert in characterization and restoration of wetlands. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/74 "2014-01-13T16:46:41Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > Aircraft oxygen systems. Test both passenger and crew oxygen systems for a large aircraft manufacturer and I am FAA certified to service and repair oxygen systems on private aircraft. I was hoping getting the FAA cert would allow me to retire early from my current employer and make a nice part time income. But with only a couple jobs a month on average, that prospect has gone to the wayside. I use to service LOX on an aircraft that had 10 liters for the crew and passengers plus 25 liters for burn patients. This was on the C-9A which were the US Air Force’s version of the DC-9-30. All the other aircraft that I worked on had gaseous oxygen systems. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/75 "2014-01-13T21:07:35Z")
Videogame design. I’m the guy who gets assigned to your project when it’s royally fucked. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/76 "2014-01-15T00:28:25Z")
I am in the top tier at my hospital for hard IV starts, and I am the undisputed master at finessing kids through painful or scary experiences. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/77 "2014-01-15T19:08:29Z")
I am/was an expert in illegal narcotics use and trafficking investigations. Superior Court in my state said so. Doesn’t really mean much other than I could express an opinion from the witness stand. Normally, opinions are not allowed. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/78 "2014-01-16T21:23:43Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Videogame design. > > I’m the guy who gets assigned to your project when it’s royally fucked. So you’re working on The Last Guardian? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/79 "2014-01-16T23:37:38Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Chess coach. > > I’ve been doing it for 40 years (the last 25 as my full-time job.) > > One of my students won the World U-18 Championship. 🆒 > [@Vaevictis](#): > > Cool, who won? Nicholas Pert (in 1998) ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415/80 "2014-01-17T00:09:43Z")
I have described myself as an expert at C and C++ in a resume accepted by a company that tested my expertise. I got the job. So, I suppose that counts. But, we really don’t have universally accepted credentials in CS. My degrees aren’t even in the field, for goodness’ sake. But, I can teach good database design and object oriented programming well enough that my students understand the subjects well enough to land jobs. Maybe that makes me a better teacher than an expert, but still, it is useful. Otherwise, I am a ‘Jack of all Trades’ and proud to be that. I am reminded of a Heinlein quote: > [@](#): > > A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-expert-at-anything/678415.md?page=5)