# Do you excel at anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377 "2019-06-11T15:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/41 "2019-06-12T04:30:13Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > That’s fortunate, because I excel at being an annoying grammar Nazi – in the broadest meaning of the term. I’ll criticize anything – grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, word choice, whatever, and I do it for free, whether the victim likes it or not. 😉 > A semicolon? Really? Surely you meant “Yes, I do”! I’ll take issue with your use of that particular N-word. Can you use a different word? Those Ns committed some very atrocious acts in WWII. Surely there’s a better descriptor. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/42 "2019-06-12T04:49:54Z")
1. Bonding with cats. 2. Drinking large volumes of coffee. 3. Assembling things like Ikea furniture. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/43 "2019-06-12T05:54:00Z")
I’m super good at HTML. In fact I have had above-average HTML table writing skills for most of the past 20 years. Writing a clean HTML table can be very complicated, but I can write complicated table layouts in nothing but Notepad. Of course, that table skill is completely useless now. And my HTML skills aren’t needed as much as CSS skills, which I have but my CSS is just pedestrian. But damn, I am good at HTML. You need some HTML? I’m your girl. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/44 "2019-06-12T05:58:08Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I’ll take issue with your use of that particular N-word. Can you use a different word? Those Ns committed some very atrocious acts in WWII. Surely there’s a better descriptor. There are certainly other descriptors – grammar police, grammar nerd, grammar nitpicker – but I’m not sure that they’re “better”. Let’s not hijack a lighthearted thread over this, but my view is that this doesn’t glorify Nazism in any way, and in fact does the opposite – it implies the kind of mindless fanaticism that we associate with that regime, but reapplied to a trivial context, which is what makes it funny. Keep in mind that there have been all kinds of comedic sketches riffing on Nazis that seemed to cause no particular offense – two that come to mind are the Broadway play and movie _The Producers_ with the _Springtime for Hitler_ meme, and the _Fawlty Towers_ episode with the German guests, plus John Cleese’s recurring goosestep act. We have actual issues in the world today that may be forebodings of the same kind of fascist ideology as arose in 1930s Germany, and in my view, that’s what we should be worrying about, and not about making fun of them, as if the mere mention of the word somehow risks bringing it back to life. /\ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/45 "2019-06-12T06:48:58Z")
“Excel” is a pretty strong term, but I was local dart champ several seasons in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Squid\_Baby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Squid\_Baby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squid_Baby)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/46 "2019-06-12T07:16:08Z")
Hello! Yes, I guess I do excel in writing - this is what I do for living as a matter of fact. But I do believe that each one of use has their own strengths making them excel in their own ways. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/47 "2019-06-12T10:17:59Z")
My COBOL skills are still very sharp. I broke into programming when it was still common to write in house software. I write a few programs in my current job and use COBOL because it’s so much quicker for me to use. I still get calls from Headhunters wanting someone to support a 30 to 40 year old legacy system written in COBOL. Their staff retired and they can’t find younger guys with COBOL experience. The pay is tempting. But many of these jobs are temporary until they can scrap the legacy system. I’m not willing to relocate for work knowing it might only last a couple years. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/48 "2019-06-12T12:23:08Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > Playing my baritone ukulele. I tried bari uke for a while, looking for a more portable alternative to my bass. Didn’t really click, tho. Now I’m all about clawhammer banjo! I’m pretty good at my job. I guess you could say I excel at it. A good aprt of that, tho, is picking a career that really suits my innate skills - culling important info out of large masses of material, organizing and applying that information, and making decisions quickly. Many people in my same position fall short at 1 or more of those. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/49 "2019-06-12T13:38:26Z")
Writing college recommendation letters. I write a short novel’s worth a year (about 40 recs), and I get emails from admissions people telling me that they stand out and help tremendously in letting them understand a student. They are all different and none is about resume stuff. I call it my “Speaker for the Dead” role. Certain specific aspects of teaching. I know lots of teachers that are more talented than me in all sorts of ways, but there are some things I feel like I do better than almost anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/50 "2019-06-12T13:49:00Z")
I’m good at trivia, but that’s just because of my memory. Once something gets into my brain, it never leaves and I can recall it instantaneously. Makes me good at simple math and spelling, too. I get things done. If I say I’m going to do something, consider it done. And I’m one of those super always on time people. Part of my New England background. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/51 "2019-06-12T14:12:08Z")
Is this a “Cower mortals!” thread? Or just “Flinch mortals”? Regardless, in my prime I was a semi-pro level goalkeeper outdoors, and pro level indoors. My TOS Star Trek knowledge is extensive. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/52 "2019-06-12T15:14:32Z")
I don’t know if it rises to the level of _excel_ by the OP’s standard, since there are plenty of people on iRacing who are better than me, but I am by far the best of anyone I know at simulator-type driving games. To the point that real-life friends don’t want to play against me, since either they have no hope of catching me or it’s super obvious that I’m holding back (“Hey, I know you’re lifting on the straightaways! I can hear your engine, you know!”). ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/53 "2019-06-12T15:55:12Z")
Why, no. Nothing at all. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/54 "2019-06-12T16:47:14Z")
I excelled at chess (I recently retired.) My highest ELO rating (back in the day) was 2390, which put me in the top 5,000 world-wide. I’ve played in the UK chess championship a dozen times - always scoring over 50%. I’ve taught chess professionally (as they say about writing - ‘you’re a writer when someone else says you are’) and had a chess column in a national newspaper. There you go! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/55 "2019-06-12T17:24:12Z")
**Directions**. I may have never been to your town before, but I can find the back way to get to where you want. Hell, I once left Athens GA, boarded a flight at Hartsfield (ATL), landed at Hartford (CT), rented a car, drove it to Troy NY, and found our temporary warehouse… and I didn’t even have the address. I just drove into Troy, said “I think it’ll be over there”, drove “over there”, and I saw the signs. Last night I went on a date and she was impressed that I didn’t need the GPS to get out of her neighborhood… or to get her back to her house. **Listening and talking** : I excel if I’m on an “agenda” (business lunch, etc) but am also pretty good at “go-with-the-flow” convos (dates, meet and greets, stuff like that). (However, what I’m not good at are situations where I have to yell to make myself heard. Just won’t do that.) **Reading body language** : You all are open books, I’m just sayin’. The way you are holding your chin, the roll of your shoulders as you walk, where you cast your eyes, what are your hands doing, how your feet are pointed, interruptions in your voice and motions… I capture all that shit and _get_ it. Nervous? I can tell. Just had a mind-blowing thought? I caught it too by the intake of your breath, how you stopped a motion, by how your eyes widened. Bored? Yeah, sorry, you’re not hiding that shit from me. (That last one I’m really surprised as to how many people are bad… or claim to be bad… at reading body language. To me, it’s just instinctual - my siblings would ask me if Dad was in a good mood (meaning “will he give me \ if I ask?”, because that’s how kids are) and then act accordingly. “He didn’t read his newspaper when he came in, didn’t say “hi”, and went directly down to the basement to bang his tools around, so I’m guessing no. Don’t ask.”) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/56 "2019-06-12T17:29:38Z")
Research in my area of Computer Science. Lots of papers, recognition, etc. Over 100k Google hits for my most famous thing, with the top hit being a Wikipedia page with my name in the title. Once at a conference there were 3 different presenters who referenced “ **FtG** ’s \”. Each was citing a different result I came up with. The audience was expected to know the basics of each of the 3 results. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/57 "2019-06-12T17:46:58Z")
I would guess that a lot of regulars here are well above average at trivia. Me too. A few weeks ago a group of us adults were sitting around and there were trivia cards on the table, from some offbeat games. My wife looked though them and was complaining about how bizarre they were, reading one in a completely incredulous voice, she started saying “This company, originally called Unadulterated Products…” with a strong what-the-hell flourish on that last part, and right then I blurted out “Snapple!” We don’t play trivia games. I’m well above average at shooting pool. I’m not professional level but can beat almost everyone who actually plays pool regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/58 "2019-06-12T17:54:36Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > I would guess that a lot of regulars here are well above average at trivia. Yes, I’m the greatest at trivia among the people I know IRL. I wouldn’t say it in _this_ crowd though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/59 "2019-06-12T18:31:58Z")
I have an excellent musical ‘ear’, and can tell if my guitar is off even a fraction or when a musician hits a note that’s not in key. In grade school, the teacher would have me sing the starting note for songs, as I had perfect pitch. I’ve had natural rhythm ability since I was a small child, and have been fascinated by percussion all my life. ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377/60 "2019-06-12T18:42:26Z")
I can look at a pot or pan of left-over food and determine very precisely what sized container is needed to store it for future use. As in full to the top of the storage container without overflowing. Also, fitting the maximum amount of luggage and/or cargo into a car/truck/trailer and having it fit “just right”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-excel-at-anything/835377.md?page=4)