# "I can't..(fill in the blank) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2021, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123 "2021-04-16T02:39:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![moes\_lotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@moes\_lotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moes_lotion)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/82 "2021-04-18T00:44:01Z")
I can’t remember peoples names if I only hear them, but if I see them written down, no problem. I have an excellent spatial sense, but I go by landmarks, not street names, so I’m terrible at trying to give anyone else directions. I can whistle using lips and tongue, but have never mastered the two finger version despite lots of trying. I can row a boat and paddle a canoe, can you? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/83 "2021-04-18T00:51:21Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I can _not_ sing. Other people: “Can’t you hear how off you are?” Me: “Yeah, but by the time I hear it it’s too late to do anything about it.” Can’t snap my fingers, either. The normal way to pronounce an _R_ is by raising the back of the tongue to the palate. Raise the tip of the tongue instead to roll the _R_. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/84 "2021-04-18T03:40:36Z")
I’m ok with getting landmarks if the person doesn’t give me too many. Where I grew up some people give you five landmarks to watch for before where you actually have to turn. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/85 "2021-04-19T16:12:28Z")
After reading the latest “I Can’ts” I have another to add. I cannot touch my toes from either the standing position or the sitting on the floor position. Never have, even as a kid. I’m not nor ever have been overweight, I’m in fairly good shape but unless I do a lot of bouncing, and I mean a lot, I can’t do it. ---
**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:** [April 19, 2021, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/86 "2021-04-19T16:17:36Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I cannot figure out how to use my smartphone. Texting is impossible (keys too small) and, while I can take photos, I cannot figure out how to get the pictures off the phone. Most smart phones have a voice to text feature. When you go to the text app, you’ll see a tiny microphone icon. Just tap that and speak normally, and the words magically appear on the screen. To end a sentence, just say “period”. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/87 "2021-04-19T18:21:05Z")
I can’t remember peoples names. Yes I’ve tried all the various mnemonic devices, still no luck, either I forget the device or I have to spend about 20 seconds working my way through it at which point the time in the conversation when I needed the name has passed. I can read an entire book or watch an entire movie and not remember the names of the principal characters. When discussing it with my wife I’ll have to say “That black haired woman who was the love interest of the Hero.” Oddly enough I’m really good at remembering numbers. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/88 "2021-04-19T19:05:41Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Oddly enough I’m really good at remembering numbers I can remember 17,159,327. I chose it as my favorite number after confirming it to be a prime. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/89 "2021-04-19T19:30:45Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I can whistle for my dog, but I can’t whistle a tune. Damn! I can’t whistle for my dog when I’m wearing my face mask. Can anyone whistle with their face mask on? ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/90 "2021-04-19T19:59:06Z")
I can swim pretty well, above and below water. What I can’t do is do a somersault below water, frontwards or backwards. I always get water up my nose and into my sinuses. I have to hold my nose. I’m a whiz at algebra and trigonometry. Geometry is kind of a struggle but I can slog my way through it. Calculus mostly eludes me. During my senior year I was out for two weeks due to an illness. I could never pick back up from where I left off to where the class was when I got back. Some mysterious link eluded me, or my brain was just being a calc-block. My partner can’t fathom algebra where letters replace numbers. She also can’t read a Roman numeral clock at all, and a regular analog is a struggle too. I can’t lie or bluff. I’m fairly well written and spoken, but ask me to come up with a false or made up definition for a word, or lie about the cards in my hand, make a bet against something I’m likely to lose, to the more serious kind of lies, I falter, stutter, break eye contact, mumble, etc. I’m crap at poker, and probably at being a criminal. Can’t roll my R’s if my arse depended on it. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/91 "2021-04-19T20:09:36Z")
> [@Horseflesh](#): > > Can’t roll my R’s if my arse depended on it. Have you tried using a wheel chair? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/92 "2021-04-19T20:17:22Z")
> [@Horseflesh](#): > > I can swim pretty well, above and below water. What I can’t do is do a somersault below water, frontwards or backwards. I always get water up my nose and into my sinuses. Despite several years on a swim team, I have never once performed a proper “flip turn.” I’m very comfortable in the water, but this move is beyond my ability. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/93 "2021-04-19T20:21:10Z")
I can’t wink my right eye. I can wink my left eye fine. I can’t snap fingers on my right hand. Left hand I can do fine though that ability is fading some. I am horrible at remembering names. There are two colleagues, one I’ve had for 20+ years, the other for about 5. Sometimes I just can’t recall their names. I know perfectly well they are, the names just won’t come. Other times it’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/94 "2021-04-19T21:15:58Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Have you tried using a wheel chair? 🏆 ---
**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:** [April 19, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/95 "2021-04-19T22:19:00Z")
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction. This is not a joke answer. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. This is. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/96 "2021-04-19T22:38:14Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Can anyone whistle with their face mask on? Hell, I can’t even whistle _without_ a mask. I can sort of fake whistle by making a sharp “S” sound but that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/97 "2021-04-19T22:47:19Z")
I can’t wink my right eye either. I have trouble with names not related to my work; that’s because I the librarian at an elementary school and have my brain filled with names of students (including some who are long gone). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/98 "2021-04-20T00:21:56Z")
I can’t surf. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T-mPymWrK4) ---
**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:** [April 20, 2021, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/99 "2021-04-20T12:44:27Z")
I can’t I can’t I can’t stand losing ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/100 "2021-04-20T14:14:56Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I can’t tie an apron or smock behind my back. I used to be able to but now it somehow confuses me too much. I can do the first “right-over-left” knot but then I can’t do the tying the loops together part. > > I have to pull the knot-tying over to the far left or right where I can see it and then the strings are too long because it’s not tied right in the center (in back). My solution for that, in my food-preparation apron-wearing days, was to use one with long strings that I could wrap around to the front and tie in front. And if the strings are too short? I looped them through my side belt loops and tied them in front. These days my only apron is a shop apron, and it has plastic fasteners, like those on backpack straps, so it’s a bit of a moot point. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123/101 "2021-04-20T14:17:14Z")
I can’t put a bra on by hooking it behind me. I have to hook it in front, spin it around, and then put my arms through the straps. Then adjust. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-fill-in-the-blank/940123.md?page=6)