# Tell me something you can't/don't do, that most others do/can. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493 "2004-12-07T04:17:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/61 "2004-12-07T18:10:08Z")
I’ve never seen one of those 3-D image things. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/62 "2004-12-07T19:55:47Z")
I don’t have any sense of smell either. If many more of us post that, it won’t belong in this thread anymore! I can’t dance and won’t try. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/63 "2004-12-07T21:25:27Z")
I can’t put my left shoe on first - always has to be the right. if I pick up the left one by mistake, I will put it down and grab the right one instead. I’ve tried putting the left on first, it feels wrong, and I have to begin again. Also, Despite being a good cook (make my own pasta from scratch etc) I also can’t poach eggs to save myself - tried whisking, saucers, vinegar etc - can’t do it. I always order poached eggs when we go out for brunch! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/64 "2004-12-07T21:40:50Z")
I couldn’t learn Spanish to save my life. I switched from the BA plan to a BS plan, even though it required 12 more hours of mathematics, just to avoid having to learn Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/65 "2004-12-07T21:55:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh, and I can’t get a date, either. I’m nearly 35, if that makes CynicalGabe feel any better (is that why you chose the name “Cynical”?) Well, I was cynical to begin with. Being lonely just makes it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/66 "2004-12-07T22:00:34Z")
I cannot sing in tune … I cannot WINK … I cannot point or curl my toes … I cannot raise one eyebrow … ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/67 "2004-12-07T22:30:54Z")
Things I’ve never been able to do: Whistle, blow bubbles Things I can’t do due to illness/injury: Anything invovlving two eyes (depth perception, seeing 3D images), move my second toe on my right foot ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/68 "2004-12-07T23:00:01Z")
I cannot braid. You would think that because I am a girl with longish hair I would be able to braid, but nope. I never learned and I can’t learn. I also cannot do public speaking at all. When I get up in front of the class to give a speech or something I get really nervous and shaking and I stutter. I just cannot do any public speaking. Still, what I CAN do is I can put my hands flat on the floor when bending at the waist. And the splitz. Gotta brag about that. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/69 "2004-12-07T23:07:27Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Can you still taste food? Yes, although I of course don’t know if I can taste as “well” as people who can smell. I’ve seen a documentary that said people with a congenital lack of a sense of smell can’t tell the difference in taste between an apple and a potato, and that’s definitely not the case for me. And to further the feeling of cameraderie in this thread: I can’t swim or do any of the glaucoma tests, either. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/70 "2004-12-07T23:13:32Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > I have very little depth perception. I’m not sure to what extent, just that it’s the part of my driver’s test I always fail, often bump into walls, and watching leaves fall can make me go cross eyed. If I am in the passenger seat of a car, I’ll freak out and yell “STOP!” at a vehicle or pedestrian crossing the road… about 10 miles away… (yeah, I’ve learned to just keep my mouth shut and hang on to the holy sh\*t bar). :smack: Same here. You’re the first person I’ve met who also lacks depth perception. I don’t drive either, FWIW. Fuckin’ pain in the ass, innit? Especially in cars. “OMFG WATCH OUT YOU’RE SO GONNA HIT THAT… oh. No. You didn’t, did you? Heh.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/71 "2004-12-07T23:19:13Z")
Due to a motorcycle accident in my youth, I cannot touch my right thumb to my right shoulder, or straighten my right arm out all the way. Or see those silly damn 3-D things. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/72 "2004-12-07T23:20:55Z")
I can’t shuffle cards, I think my fingers aren’t long enough. Just can’t get them around the cards the right way! To the non-smellers, I had a friend once who couldn’t smell. She worked at Bath & Body Works and would try to describe what things smelled like. Poor girl, always lying to people. 😉 It would probably make her feel better to know she wasn’t the only one. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/73 "2004-12-08T00:16:54Z")
> [@flamingbananas](#): > > I cannot braid. This is the first thing someone has posted to this thread that I’m absolutely postiively certain can be remedied. Maybe you won’t get GOOD at braiding. Maybe you won’t be able to easily braid your own hair. But, at the minimum, I’m 100% certain that, with sufficiently careful instruction, you could slowly and haltingly braid, say, three ropes together. Things I don’t do: -drink alcohol -drink coffee -listen to music on the radio Things I can’t do: -hackey sack. Which is odd because I can juggle and am reasonably good at soccer, so you’d think I’d have the right basic skill set, but I just can’t get the damn thing to go back up in the air at anything approaching a vertical angle -handle criticism with total maturity and aplomb On the other hand, I wrote my college thesis on those 3D Magic Eye things. (literally) ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/74 "2004-12-08T00:44:38Z")
I can’t raise my eyebrows independently of each other. I had a friend who couldn’t vomit or belch, physically. She had several operations to try and fix it to no avail. Hope she never gets food poisoning. I can’t see without correction. I can sort of make out colors, but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/75 "2004-12-08T01:42:40Z")
No matter how many times I try, I can’t use chopsticks. My brother said he taught himself in about 30 seconds but I grip them too tightly and they won’t pick anything up. Can someone suggest some tips that might help me? ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/76 "2004-12-08T01:48:19Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > Can someone suggest some tips that might help me? Use a fork. Well _someone_ had to say it. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/77 "2004-12-08T01:50:26Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > No matter how many times I try, I can’t use chopsticks. My brother said he taught himself in about 30 seconds but I grip them too tightly and they won’t pick anything up. Can someone suggest some tips that might help me? My advice here applies also to the Magic Eye thing. Do it when no one else is around. Especially with the Magic Eye art, I felt so damned goofy trying to “see” it that I would give up fairly quickly. I remember clearly the first time I was able to see it (after about a year of failed attempts). UPN was a brand-new network, and they had an ad on the back page of the TV guide. In the comfort of my living room, with nary a soul in sight, I was able to relax, and take my time, and not feel goofy. And I was able to do it. A real “Eureka” moment. The same with chopsticks. For years and years, the only time I tried to use them was in the company of other people, and self-conscious about it - especially since I was certain I would make a fool of myself. Finally with a bowl of ramen soup and an empty house, I sat down and took my time. Once I had the time and opportunity to analyze what I was doing, what wasn’t working, and what the actual physics of the things were, I was able to pick it up in minutes. So, my advice is, practice when you’re alone, and when it’s not a matter of succeed-or-go-hungry. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/78 "2004-12-08T03:12:47Z")
Couple things that have been previously mentioned: - Can’t snap my fingers. Don’t know if that’s just a matter of never learning how. - Can’t do any kind of math in my head. Have to either write it down or use a calculator. I don’t trust myself to use power tools. Uncertain why, but I seem to have a fear of severely injuring myself if I were to use them. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Wing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@Little\_Wing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Wing)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/79 "2004-12-08T04:14:06Z")
I can sing in tune but can’t whistle in tune. I have NEVER been able to see the picture in one of those 3D things. I can’t touch my toes. I can’t do math in my head either. Sometimes I still even use my fingers to count if there’s not anything at hand to write with. _ducks head in shame_ ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493/80 "2004-12-08T05:35:00Z")
> [@Little Wing](#): > > I can’t touch my toes. Not even if you curl up and reach down? Standing up, I can’t even reach my ankles without bending my knees. Lying down, I make it past the knees with some difficulty! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-you-cant-dont-do-that-most-others-do-can/278493.md?page=5)