# Have 3 or 4 days time and want a new skill **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 11, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116 "2010-05-11T23:40:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/41 "2010-05-12T23:55:24Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Do you drink? > > Home brewing. > > If you live in a larger city, there should be a home brewing supply store where you can get supplies. You won’t be able to finish the whole process, as it takes at least a few weeks for a beer to ferment, but you could easily get 5-10 gallons of beer fermenting in a couple days. After fermentation is finished in a few weeks, you’ll need to bottle your beer. A week or so after bottling the beer will be ready to drink. I suggest [The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing](http://www.amazon.com/New-Complete-Joy-Home-Brewing/dp/0380763664) by Charlie Papazian as an introductory book. You will need to buy some equipment, but the cost is well under your $800 limit (think $100-$150 range). After fixed costs, you’ll be able to brew beer for ~$0.80/bottle or less. Great idea. I just bottled some Kolsch last night. I haven’t bought store beer for several years, except when I need a control to compare to a clone. \>hic\< ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/42 "2010-05-13T00:04:58Z")
Stand in front of a mirror and teach yourself to raise one eyebrow. I did this, back in high school, and found it opened up completely new avenues of nonverbal communication. ---
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/43 "2010-05-13T00:41:02Z")
When I was a kid, it took me 2 or 3 days to teach myself how to whistle **wicked** loud. I tromped around the neighborhood as I placed thumb and forefinger tip to tip and then pushed them against the bottom of my tongue, blowing against them until I got a little sound, and worked on it until I could produce a real earsplitting blast. As an adult it has been a useful skill on the playing fields and in the classroom, and I am occasionally requested to put it to use (judiciously) in a noisy group situation to call for attention. I have also used it a few times to slow a car when riding my bike on the road and the car was gradually starting to make an unsignalled right turn and drifting into me. ---
**Author:** ![skearton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@skearton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skearton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/44 "2010-05-14T19:21:39Z")
Also try acquiring a concealed carry permit if it is allowed in your area. You can never go wrong with things that go bang… Just ask Ralphies mom. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HawksPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@HawksPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HawksPath)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/45 "2010-05-14T20:13:28Z")
Thanks for the ideas. I’m not sure yet but photography, magic, clay sculpting, or hang gliding are at the top of my list. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/46 "2010-05-14T20:15:52Z")
I’m telling you man, knife throwing. Shockingly useful skill. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116/47 "2010-05-14T22:43:12Z")
Kayaking? You can lean the basic strokes in one day, advanced stuff the next, and Eskimo rolls the 3rd. Brian [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-3-or-4-days-time-and-want-a-new-skill/539116.md?page=2)