# Poll: Weird skill you learned long ago you can still do **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547 "2007-01-19T02:44:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/1 "2007-01-19T02:44:50Z")
I can cut a deck of cards with one hand. I learned how to do this when I was maybe 12, and for some reason can still do it. I do this every 10 years or so (I feel obliged to do it whenever I see a deck of cards, which is rarely) and there is never any difficulty, but people who see me do it are often impressed. It seems normal and unimpressive to me, but they can never do it. FWIW, it did take practice…but somehow, even though I do it so infrequently, I still can. I can juggle, too. Learned in my early 20’s. Like the card-cutting thing, I do this every 10 years or so (although last year I went on a quest at the gym to juggle 2 kg. medicine balls). Learning how to juggle seemed a lot harder, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/2 "2007-01-19T02:47:11Z")
I can castrate a pig (which is not that easy- with a calf it’s just anesthetize/sterilize/snip/sterilize again but pigs require an incision). I can also rolling jump a car but hopefull I’ll never need to again. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/3 "2007-01-19T02:52:45Z")
I can stand on my head and spin even through I am 33 and it is much harder when you your are much taller and bigger than as a kid. I can squeeze my hands together to make these controllable fartish notes (my aunt can play songs). I can put my hands together and blow between my thumbs to imitate a mourning dove call. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/4 "2007-01-19T02:56:16Z")
Sadly, I have never learned any skills, weird or otherwise. Which is why I’m an overweight, lonely, unemployed shut-in. Oh wait! I can brew beer! (see above) ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/5 "2007-01-19T03:08:50Z")
I can do way more gymnastics than a woman my age should be able to. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/6 "2007-01-19T04:02:56Z")
I can do a goofy coordination trick that is difficult to describe, but it’s basically getting my hands to draw circles in the air simultaneously in opposite directions. You’ll have to take my word for it, it’s impressive as hell. My husband can roll a coin back and forth across his knuckles. Never fails to impress the kiddies. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/7 "2007-01-19T04:09:59Z")
[QUOTE=LifeOnWry] My husband can roll a coin back and forth across his knuckles. Never fails to impress the kiddies. [/QUOTE] Wow, a blast from the past. I used to be able to do that with a half dollar years ago…don’t think that’s on the menu anymore, though. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/8 "2007-01-19T04:17:46Z")
I can blow saliva bubbles! 😛 Yep, I can form a saliva bubble on the tip of my tongue and waft it out into the room, where it floats around lightly until it either lands on something and breaks or someone else breaks it. I learned this somewhat repulsive skill courtesy of my ninth-grade woodwork teacher who blew them all the time and was absolutely thrilled the first time he saw me do it. ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/9 "2007-01-19T04:17:59Z")
I can locate and squish fleas on cats based on the sense of touch alone. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/10 "2007-01-19T04:19:35Z")
I can quickly recite the alphabet backward, from Z to A. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/11 "2007-01-19T04:31:05Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > getting my hands to draw circles in the air simultaneously in opposite directions If I’m envisioning this correctly, it doesn’t sound difficult at all. Can you take video of your trick? ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/12 "2007-01-19T04:41:46Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] If I’m envisioning this correctly, it doesn’t sound difficult at all. Can you take video of your trick? [/QUOTE] No videocamera, sorry. But I can describe in more detail: Point your two index fingers at one another in front of you. Now draw a clockwise circle in the air with one hand, and a counterclockwise circle in the air with the other, keeping your index fingers pointed inward - you have one hand rotating toward you, the other away from you. I’ve never done any scientific observation, but casual observation seems to indicate that this is far more difficult for most people than it is for me. Occcasionally someone else can do it too, but only VERY rarely on the first try. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/13 "2007-01-19T04:44:52Z")
I can pick up things with my toes. I also taught myself to twiddle my thumbs in two different directions - similar to the hand co-ordination trick, in 8th grade, due to taunting from a camp counsellor, and I can still do it as poorly as I ever could. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/14 "2007-01-19T05:18:35Z")
I can pick locks. We won’t go into how or why I learned this as a kid. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/15 "2007-01-19T05:30:59Z")
[QUOTE=LifeOnWry] No videocamera, sorry. But I can describe in more detail: Point your two index fingers at one another in front of you. Now draw a clockwise circle in the air with one hand, and a counterclockwise circle in the air with the other, keeping your index fingers pointed inward - you have one hand rotating toward you, the other away from you. I’ve never done any scientific observation, but casual observation seems to indicate that this is far more difficult for most people than it is for me. Occcasionally someone else can do it too, but only VERY rarely on the first try. [/QUOTE] OK, this is difficult. I thought you meant fingers pointing away from you, one hand going left and one going right. Nevermind. Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Deaf\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Deaf\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deaf_Geek)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/16 "2007-01-19T05:36:16Z")
A dead on imitation of the Emergency Broadcast system, with the feedback from my hearing aids. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/17 "2007-01-19T05:57:17Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] OK, this is difficult. I thought you meant fingers pointing away from you, one hand going left and one going right. Nevermind. Good job. [/QUOTE] Wow, I can barely do this and it requires all of my concentration. Impressive skill. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/18 "2007-01-19T06:04:34Z")
> [@](#): > > I can quickly recite the alphabet backward, from Z to A. Hey you took mine! My record is 4 seconds. My best friend in fourth grade taught me that one night while we were camping in a tent in my back yard. Other than that… huh. I can play the trombone. I know it’s not weird to be able to play an instrument, but I just don’t run into too many women that know how to play the trombone. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/19 "2007-01-19T06:29:58Z")
I can juggle, pick locks, make beer, and ALSO make an origami tyrannosaurus rex. God, I was an eccentric kid. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547/20 "2007-01-19T06:37:51Z")
I haven’t waited tables for over twenty years, but I can still carry seven full plates without a tray, and I can do it without messing up or spilling any of the food. This is no longer a useful skill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-weird-skill-you-learned-long-ago-you-can-still-do/388547.md?page=2)