Let’s forget the super strengths, invulnerability, or flying for a second. Looking at the grand mosaic of humanity, there’s a lot of things that ordinary people can do extraordinarily well. If you’re not born with the ability, however, most times you can only dream of what it would be like. What kind of uncommon ability do you wish you have to putter around with?
For me, I’ve always been jealous of friends who can draw. My idea of a good drawing is a stick figure. Sure, I can draw flames and stuff decently, but I absolutely have an impossible time drawing people and faces. Even cartoon faces are hard, as there is always something wrong with it. Maybe the forehead is too high, or the eyes are spaced too far apart. Even if I concentrate and try really really hard, my humans always look weird. Inanimate objects are a lot easier, but I have a serious problems with perspective, especially of things with curves
Another thing I’ve always kinda wished I could do is sing. I don’t mean recording artist level, but just enough to carry a tune. I don’t sing much except in the shower or in my car alone while listening to CDs, and I always think I sound find with the music in the background, but every time I try to sing something or carry a tune, my voice cracks like a 14 year old. It would be nice to be able to sing a song with an actual melody rather than just rap
Well that’s because, and I say this as someone who can draw reasonably well, people are hard to draw. Especially faces. And hands. Oh god, hands. I don’t know why people avoid drawing feet instead of hands. Feet are easy, especially in shoes. And perspective is really hard unless it’s basic one point perspective. It takes a LOT of practice to be able to draw well.
I wish I could sing as well as my dad. I can carry a tune, but I have no range. My dad can be tenor or bass, well enough to sing in choir. I don’t think I’m asking a lot.
Mostly I wish I had the kind of self-discipline other people have that allows them to get shitloads done every week. After work I basically just want to go to bed and on the weekends I fart around just getting the essentials done. I used to be better, I swear.
I wish I could play the piano like a virtuoso. I had a year’s worth of formal lessons in 3rd grade, and I plunked on our piano at home (mostly chords with my left hand and random melodies with the right, and occasional harder pieces like Fur Elise and this really cool ditty from Final Fantasy X). But I’d really like to be able to sit down with a new-to-me piece of piano sheet music and just PLAY IT. And play it well.
I can read music very well, as long as it’s in treble clef (I played sax and other woodwinds for 7 years). It takes me a lot longer to process bass clef, though, and reading them both together is very difficult. I also have issues with finger placement. I end up basically having to write down all the bass clef notes before I start, and I end up memorizing the piece instead of reading from the music.
I lack the gene for a sense of direction. I know it’s genetic because nobody in my family has any sense of direction. I still get lost in my own neighborhood. I walk down the same streets I’ve walked a million times and still cannot figure out how to get where I am going.
I would like actual musical ability. I have a pretty good voice, good range, it sounds ok, but I’m just not very musical. I can play a little bit of guitar, piano and flute but I just never really get anywhere. Same with dancing: I’m good with movement and expressing myself physically, but it all goes wrong when I have to do specific movements to music.
The ability to be gregarious, social and immediately connect with people. I feel this would lead to a whole lot of success in many aspects of life that are missing in mine.
Oh, definitely this. I’m dreadful in social situations and can chatter endlessly among people I know well but I hate meeting new people and can never think of anything non-moronic to say. Sociability would be a great trait to possess.
I’d say Sociability (live as opposed to online) as well, but in my case it’s likelier to require addressing anxiety issues. As for nonessential abilities I’d wish for Musicality - not even playing an instrument but being able to sing in tune, keep a beat, dance with rhythm.
The ability to figure out what you want to do as a career (and then do it). In 45 years, I still haven’t figured this out, and I am in awe of people who just seem to fall into careers that they enjoy for life.
