# What New Skill Are You Learning in 2025? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2025, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759 "2025-01-09T10:46:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/1 "2025-01-09T10:46:52Z")
I’ve just finished my first 7-day streak learning Bahasa Indonesia on Duolingo. My original goal was to study Javanese but there’s surprising little material available for that language, be it online or even in book form. Anyway, I enjoy it a lot. It hasn’t been terribly difficult so far, the pronunciation is pretty straightforward, and the grammar rather simple : no conjugation, no gender, an unusual but intuitive and flexible word order. The only thing that I find a bit puzzling for the moment are the pronouns, which seem to exist in more varities than I find necessary, but it might be due to differences in formality. The words of course don’t look like anything I know, apart from a couple of cognates with Malagasy, but they’re somehow easy to memorize. What are you learning in 2025? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/2 "2025-01-09T11:43:23Z")
I’m planning on learning nuno felting. I already do needle and wet felting. Also, copper plate printing. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/3 "2025-01-09T12:19:18Z")
I plan to take classes in screenwriting this year at the local college. I’ve dabbled in it for a while, but now it’s time to learn how to craft a story into a script that could actually be shot as a feature film. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/4 "2025-01-09T14:56:01Z")
Finally making a proper effort to learn Luxembourgish and make my residency fully official. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/5 "2025-01-09T14:58:09Z")
For me, just trying to master the two arduous and complex-outdated software systems that my employer uses. It’s been over half a year and I still haven’t gotten the knack of it. Every time I think I have it figured out, I haven’t. I’ve got to get up to speed. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/6 "2025-01-09T21:33:46Z")
I’m going to try TIG welding (and maybe stick). I have a 3-in-one machine, but I only use it for MIG. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/7 "2025-01-09T21:39:00Z")
I’m going to install a mini-split AC, including high-pressure leak testing and vacuum evacuation. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/8 "2025-01-09T21:44:01Z")
Maybe yeasted bread. My lovely wife can’t eat gluten, so I haven’t bothered to try lo these several decades. ---
**Author:** ![Turki-lurki](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turki-lurki/32/7168_2.png) [@Turki-lurki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turki-lurki)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/9 "2025-01-10T04:50:57Z")
Morse code. Starting the second level course now. It’s like getting a recreational root canal 6 days a week. But the story is it staves off senility. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/10 "2025-01-10T05:28:01Z")
– — .-. … . / -.-. — -… . --…-- / -.-- — …- / … .- -.-- …–… (Which Discourse cannot read.) ---
**Author:** ![Turki-lurki](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turki-lurki/32/7168_2.png) [@Turki-lurki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turki-lurki)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/11 "2025-01-10T05:44:20Z")
Character spacing makes me nuts too. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/12 "2025-01-10T05:56:35Z")
Mr. Cool? ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/13 "2025-01-10T07:02:49Z")
Brevity. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/14 "2025-01-10T12:44:25Z")
I’m going to be 71 in 2 weeks. I already know it all! 😉 OK, maybe not all. We’re going on a cruise next year that will make several stops in Iceland - I thought I may try to learn a little Icelandic. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/15 "2025-01-10T13:38:25Z")
I’m learning Lightburn software for my CNC laser cutter. I reached the sophomore level of overconfidence last year, Better start over this year. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/16 "2025-01-10T14:59:19Z")
No, actually. After a great deal of research, I settled on an Alpine Blueridge, which is a re-labled Gree. It’s a “hyper-heat” unit, supposed to produce 80% of it’s rated BTU at -22°F. ---
**Author:** ![Jaydubba77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Jaydubba77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaydubba77)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/17 "2025-01-10T16:11:36Z")
I found Lightburn pretty easy to pick up. It’s Easy Cad that I will be trying to learn this year. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/18 "2025-01-10T17:32:21Z")
I’m learning to _take it easy_. It’s more challenging than you think, but practicing is fun. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/19 "2025-01-10T17:56:16Z")
It was easy at first but when it replaces CAD it gets deep. Not really difficult but there is a lot to it. Or maybe I’m just getting old. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759/20 "2025-01-10T18:06:22Z")
After creating [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-handed-people-a-few-questions/1005056) last summer, I began to wonder if I was naturally left-handed and started working on my skills with using my left hand. I can now write more legibly with my left hand than many people can with their dominant hand; I can do my makeup with my left hand (when I did one side with my left hand and one side with my right, my boyfriend couldn’t tell the difference); and I can use a knife with my left hand. This year, I’ve been thinking about being more regimented with developing these skills, and actually practicing writing individual letters with my hand the way a Kindergartener might practice their handwriting. I was in a long meeting yesterday and wrote out rows of each letter of the alphabet in the notebook I brought along. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-skill-are-you-learning-in-2025/1012759.md?page=2)