# Things you're good at that you hate **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 5, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036 "2017-10-05T17:01:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/21 "2017-10-05T22:23:43Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Sales. It’s an integral part of my duties as the school owner and I’m passingly good at it. I need to be better, but oh, I hate it with the passion of a thousand flaming suns. Same here. I sold computers for a living and I was pretty good, I was top salesman for my region at the chain I worked for. But wow I hated it. Since then I’ve had a long career in straight computer support. It’s much more satisfying to help people with their computers without simultaneously trying to part them from their money. Every now and then those sales skills come in handy for trying to convince people at work to go in a particular direction, or to “sell” them on a particular technology to give them more confidence/be more tolerant of new/different hardware or software. But the world of sales never made me feel good. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/22 "2017-10-06T10:39:34Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I studied cobol in HS. From a book. Never actually touched it though. Still gives me nightmares. Yeah, but what other language allows you to write hilarious code like: “PERFORM MURDER BY STABBING UNTIL DEATH” and actually compile and run? ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/23 "2017-10-06T12:20:05Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > **Pabitel** , you’re making life difficult for me as you have co-opted my tagline. 20 paces at Dawn, Sir! 😃 (or Madam as the case may be.) PS I’m fine if we share, Ben Franklin had all sorts of good ideas and I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Hey, my join date, Oct 2000. Your join date, Jan 2012. Who’s copying who? ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/24 "2017-10-06T12:28:09Z")
Programming. Back when I was a CS student and then early years as a prof., I was “into” it. As time wore on it just became incredibly tedious. So much time and effort chasing down petty bugs, coding up boring subroutines, etc. I came to hate it years ago. I want to write a nifty browser plug in. Got it all figured out it terms of “If x happens, do y using calls to browser hooks z1, z2, etc.” But I just can’t get started on the actual coding. Dreading the pain. ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/25 "2017-10-06T13:51:29Z")
After graduating high school I got a temp job working in a warehouse for an insurance company. The warehouse stored paper forms, pamphlets, and other material for agents and customers. My job there was to assemble “kits”, which was simply gathering the specified brochures and forms and putting them into folders, envelopes, binders, etc. based on the sample they gave me. I would stand there making thousands of the same pamphlet filled folders or whatever it was all day by myself; occasionally a forklift would whiz by or drop off another pallet for me to fill up. I was killing it there for months, typically getting a weeks’ worth of work done in 2 or 3 days. Unfortunately when I finished one type of kit they usually had another one ready for me to work on. If I was lucky they would let me cut down empty boxes or ship brochures to other offices for a couple hours until they found new kit for me to do. That was a long 4 or 5 months (most people quit the job after less than a week), but they did eventually hire me fulltime for another monotonous job… filing correspondence in the file room. After working there for a few years I decided to go to college. But man, I was amazing at both of those job. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/26 "2017-10-06T14:42:52Z")
Add me to the list of “sales”. It’s a bit of an offshoot because I’m so damn personable, but I have been told by everyone even remotely in a sales job that I should go into it and would thrive. But I loooaatthhheee sales and loathe sales people. I’m much better at selling ideas than I am things for money, but even doing that is closer to sales than I want to be. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/27 "2017-10-06T17:08:05Z")
Applying chink to log homes. We live in a log home, and I have spent countless hours applying chink between the logs. I am very good at it. But I _hate_ doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/28 "2017-10-06T17:33:45Z")
Cooking. There’s a simple kitchen setup next to the bar. Turkey burgers, pulled-pork sliders, grilled cheese sandies, etc. I cook while tending bar. Customers and staff are endlessly complimenting me (employees get a free meal on each shift). I just really care that customers get their money’s worth and enjoy being there. But my blood boils with each order. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/29 "2017-10-06T17:46:24Z")
Driving. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/30 "2017-10-06T18:33:34Z")
I was a superstar as a personnel manager/leader, and actually enjoyed it for a long time. Wouldn’t do it now for love or money, as there is just way too much drama involved. I’m good at sharpening blades, but it’s really tedious, especially for shop tools like planes and chisels. Love the result, hate the process. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/31 "2017-10-06T18:46:28Z")
Cooking breakfast as a short order cook. Bartender/ server. Hated it but was good at it. Put me through university. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/32 "2017-10-06T18:46:37Z")
Apparently I am really good at teaching knitting and crochet. I agreed to teach both at the Michaels where I work, because I love to do it, and thought it would be fun to pick up some extra hours teaching what I love. I hate it. I hate teaching, but every time I have a class, my manger gets feed back about what a great class I taught and how I’m a really patient teacher. So after 6 months, this is my last month teaching. I told my students last night and they were all disappointed, “But you’re so good at it!” ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/33 "2017-10-06T20:04:32Z")
> [@Pabitel](#): > > Hey, my join date, Oct 2000. Your join date, Jan 2012. > > Who’s copying who? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Badger96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Badger96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badger96)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/34 "2017-10-07T10:24:52Z")
I work in a hotel, and I am incredibly good at guest relations (I’ve received commendations) and yet I work the night shift so I can avoid people. I would much rather just do my paperwork and get on with it than deal with folks, but it’s obviously required with this job. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/35 "2017-10-08T01:11:58Z")
Chairing meetings, resolving condo conflicts. Hate them both. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/36 "2017-10-08T01:39:20Z")
Busting tires. Always seems like a chore. Have to move shit around the garage to set up the tool, always seems to be hot, always dirty. But I save a ton of money doing my own. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/37 "2017-10-08T01:41:44Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Ever found that you’re really good, great even, at something you hate? > > I was a _great_ supermarket checker back in the day, but I hated it. I seriously considered driving my car into a telephone pole every single day on my way to that job. > > Do you have a talent for something you hate? Holy crap, this is eerie. I actually double checked to see if this was one of my old OPs. I was a supermarket cashier well before scanners appeared. For some reason my fingers could fly on those keys, even doing some complex maneuvers that came up from time to time with speed and without looking at the keys. Some regulars told me they always checked to see where I was and then went to my line, even if it was longer. Some doubted my accuracy and scanned the receipt before leaving the line. I remember one old crank in particular said, “are you sure you’re punching the right levers??” And I hated every goddamned minute of it. And yes, I often wished I would get in an accident on the way to work so I wouldn’t have to go in. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/38 "2017-10-08T02:01:48Z")
Back when I was working, I got assigned to do a lot of written reports. With no false modesty, I did them well. I would speak to all the people who needed to be spoken to, gather up all the evidence, check all the relevant procedures, and then present it all with a nice summation and recommendation. And I flatter myself that I can write clearly. But I didn’t enjoy doing this. It usually meant spending a few hours of work to produce a report that could be read in two minutes. And most of them were over issues that didn’t justify the use of two minutes much less several hours. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/39 "2017-10-09T11:12:52Z")
I wouldn’t say I’m _good_ at moving friends, but I would have assumed I was horrible in my limited experience. But this summer I helped a friend move with only 1 other friend to help (so 3 ppl total), and he had two full truckloads of bulky and sometimes heavy furniture. My arms are fairly thin and weak, but I still found that the limiting factor in whether I could carry something alone was almost always bulkiness rather than weight. And I didn’t get tired until in the middle of carrying in the second load, and that might have been due to the heat rather than the lifting. Plus, being in my 40s and not having worked out my arms in years, I assumed that I would be very sore the next day, but I was not sore at all. But I completely hated it because it was in the middle of the Florida summer and my shirt was completely soaked at the end. Plus he only gave us cold cuts and chips rather than pizza and beer. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036/40 "2017-10-14T20:52:56Z")
I’m really good at explaining how to use software. I hate teaching and user support. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-good-at-that-you-hate/798036.md?page=3)