# What unusual skills do you have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 25, 2018, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120 "2018-04-25T21:01:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/41 "2018-04-27T04:13:30Z")
I can calculate the correct change faster than the cashier can key in the amount given. Of course I rarely do this anymore since I rarely pay with cash. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/42 "2018-04-28T03:45:21Z")
I can handle venomous snakes, huge toothy reptiles, and large birds of prey - with reasonable safety to myself, the animals, and people nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/43 "2018-04-28T06:36:06Z")
I can disassemble and reassemble anything without having any parts left over. Laptop computers to carburetors and transmissions. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/44 "2018-04-28T11:34:16Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > **pullin** wins this thread. That is some awesome and unusual shit, there. Fucking Sea Tractor Shit!\* Move it Eight Inches!\* Shit, man! That’s 2/3 of my dick length! I can’t figure that, even at arm’s length! > > 😃 Thanks. It’s fun to finally tell someone about it. To be honest, many times when asked for a \<1 foot adjustment, I’d just wait for a big wave to hit the hull then radio back: “How’s that?” Usually I’d hear: “Perfect!” 😛 > [@Sailboat](#): > > Ballistics. Very good at hitting my aiming point with things that fly through the air – bullets, arrows, thrown balls, etc. I’m not athletic at all but I’ve always been able to throw or toss odd objects of varying densities and shapes with surprising precision. > > It’s instinctual, and it works with all sorts of odd projectiles. If you gave me and an Olympic shooter identical perfectly-tuned rifles, he’d almost certainly beat me ten times out of ten. But if you gave each of us random, lopsided, off-the-rack paintball guns we’d never used before, I’d probably outdo the Olympian. I envy you. Like the spatial skills I mentioned upthread, the ballistic incompetence also runs in the family. AFAIK, no pullin has ever managed to play a high-school ball sport. However, it’s entertaining to watch our attempts to toss a football around after Thanksgiving dinner. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/45 "2018-04-28T12:23:34Z")
I know when I will arrive somewhere literally to the minute. If I was on my way to your place and you called and said “hey Rick, when will you be here?” I would not say “Oh, in about 30 minutes.” I’d say something like “In 28 minutes,” and believe me, it’ll be 28 minutes (always to the time I turn off my car.) Not 27, and not 29. If I say 28 minutes, and Google Maps says 26, bet on me, 'cause I’m right. It’s a useless-ass skill but it’s mine. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/46 "2018-04-28T13:48:58Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I can wiggle my ears, and wrap gifts with amazing skill. > (my family says that gift wrapping is my secret ninja skill). I’m the gift wrapper too. It often comes out with the pattern on the cut ends matching up perfectly (it’s kinda weird, and often surprising). On the down side, I have to wrap all gifts since I do it so well. I don’t know if this is an unusual skill, or mostly luck, but in 40 years of driving, I have never been in any type of accident. I have never hit anyone, or been hit by anyone. I’m very good at predicting what other drivers are gonna do. I drive about 15000 miles a year. 50% of the time it’s in ice and snow. Yesterday was the first time this year that I didn’t need 4x4 to get home. It’s a milestone I always remember. Spring is here. Pullin - That’s some impressive stuff. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/47 "2018-04-28T14:23:53Z")
For practically any word or phrase that comes up, I have a song or three that will come to mind that uses that word or phrase. I always remember where I left my car in the parking lot or parking garage. Leave the car at the airport garage, go on vacation for two weeks, I’ll head right to it when we get back. And this is without any particular effort to memorize its location when I park the car. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/48 "2018-04-28T14:35:33Z")
I constantly know and am aware of North - South - East - West, no matter where I go. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/49 "2018-04-28T16:48:07Z")
I can talk to anyone about anything, and often hold long conversations with total strangers. And the store’s new manager told me yesterday “Whenever I hear a customer laughing, I always look to your checkout line first.” As I put it “A day you make someone laugh is not wasted.” ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/50 "2018-04-29T02:18:06Z")
> [@campp](#): > > I constantly know and am aware of North - South - East - West, no matter where I go. I’m envious. I have trouble keeping track of Left and Right. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/51 "2018-04-29T03:17:24Z")
> [@campp](#): > > I constantly know and am aware of North - South - East - West, no matter where I go. My dad did this, and as kids we thought it was a super power of his. Now, I notice I can do this. So I’m the guy people ask “Ok, now how do we get out of here?” or “So how do we get back to that bookstore?” But there’s nothing magical or even “instinctual” about it. I just keep track. This helped when coworkers and I spent the day in a complex building… (“Ok, we used the east entrance, turned left twice, went up two floors, took a right into a classroom, then in the afternoon we took two rights and went up three floors… well, then we need to go down two floors… then through the portrait gallery, figure out the hidden release, open the secret door in the bookcase and down the stone staircase and cut through the mad scientist laboratory…”) On days that I don’t notice I’m keeping track, it surprises me, too. And it helps with buildings and cities that I can make a map in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Rough\_Draft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rough\_Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rough_Draft)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/52 "2018-04-29T03:25:27Z")
I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/53 "2018-04-29T07:40:47Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I can disassemble and reassemble anything without having any parts left over. Laptop computers to carburetors and transmissions. I am impressed. I have to be anal to get all the parts to go back in (no Steve, these are not bonus parts!) I can pick flies out of the air with chopsticks. I hurl an entire Costco box of 1500 sets at the fly.😉 ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/54 "2018-04-29T07:45:25Z")
Oooh, I do have one skill/superpower from raising 3 kids /9 grand kids / 7 great grand. I can walk across the kitchen floor, step on a Cheerio, and pick it off my foot without the Cheerio being crushed. Take that Kwai Chang Caine and your rice paper stunt. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/55 "2018-04-29T08:06:04Z")
I seem to have an excellent sense of time. I will often wake up in the middle of the night rubbing my eyes and think “It’s about 3:20am” and I’ll look over at the alarm clock on the nightstand and it’ll be like 3:22 or something. I also a good sense of direction. I tend to always know where I am going once I get the basic directions sorted out, even if I’ve never been there. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/56 "2018-04-29T13:10:08Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I’m good at documenting processes… As a technical writer, I think I’m in love with you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/57 "2018-04-29T17:25:37Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Sorry about the length, but I rarely get to brag about this, since I work in a cubicle now. I have unusually good spatial awareness skills (this runs in the family, btw). > > The following are things I’ve done as a job: > > -I can reverse (back in) tractor trailers and other trucks with uncanny accuracy. One job involved taking trucks from their drivers (they weren’t allowed to park them) and packing them 20 at a time so close you could not walk between them. > > -I can sort and shoehorn lots of airplanes into a hangar with a tug. I “memorize” the shape and size of the space and push the plane into it without needing to check again. It’s kind of like a giant puzzle. I did this on a night shift by myself (no observers) for over a year. > > -I can operate a large crane (35 ton) on a floating vessel, and place loads on other vessels (also bobbing on the waves) with uncanny accuracy. I’ve even placed loads on vessels while underway (moving past us, it was necessary in a few odd situations). I also operated a crane holding equipment for divers 5-600 feet below. I had to position the loads watching a closed circuit camera and compensate for waves as the divers worked. > > -I “drove” a large semi-submersible vessel for a few years (it crawled along the seabed using a spiderweb of cables anchored to the seafloor). I occasionally had to snuggle up close to oil rigs without bumping them. I would frequently get calls from the divers to “move starboard 8 inches”. The vessel was 650 feet long and 45,000 tons, so accurate placement was very difficult. > > -I’ve mentioned here before, I’m a licensed commercial pilot and flight instructor, and although not as difficult as the items above, this does require some spatial skills. > > Non-work: > -I can tow double-trailer setups and back the entire thing into any spot you choose (truck, camper and boat). I’ve had many combinations of these and have done this for years on family trips. These are ~70 foot long, 12-wheeled rigs, not something small. > > If I haven’t bored you yet, I lack a normal spatial skill most people have. I cannot catch/throw balls with any accuracy at all. I’m noticeably bad at this. Now those are some skills! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/58 "2018-04-29T17:32:41Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I can talk to anyone about anything, and often hold long conversations with total strangers. And the store’s new manager told me yesterday “Whenever I hear a customer laughing, I always look to your checkout line first.” As I put it “A day you make someone laugh is not wasted.” Oh, how I wish I could do ½ of this! Sigh. “How are you?” is the extent of my conversational skills. And I mean extent. I am not sure what to say after the answer… ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/59 "2018-04-29T17:56:09Z")
> [@Buttercup\_Smith](#): > > I can be a real bitch when I need to be. I can be a bitch without even needing to be. I used to be able to tell when the trees will bud out once the “warm” weather hit but this year…all bets are off!! Great with straight lines… I can easily and usually do, misunderstand/miscomprehend all types of communications-oh and no one can understand what I am trying to communicate to them…seriously I can take things apart but never able to put them together > [@campp](#): > > I constantly know and am aware of North - South - East - West, no matter where I go. My sister can do this…me, not so much and I travel for my job! I love maps and map making but can not follow verbal directions I have a knack with time too. Tell me what time I go out the door and later at any time tell you with in a few minutes what the time is With my job now, I can tell age and weight within 5 pounds and 3-5 years. My husband can talk like Donald Duck, also, all animals like him. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120/60 "2018-04-30T01:28:55Z")
Okay, I wasn’t aware of how unspectacular I am until this thread… But then I thought of something handy I can do. I bike all the way across town to work, and I make snap decisions to take completely different routes based on traffic and weather (esp. wind). For years I’ve mentally sent a duplicate of myself down the bike path while I take the main drag. If I get slowed down waiting for a train (or stopping for a street taco :•) I can check my other self and see how far he’s gotten. Or if I hit all the lights on the main highway, I can “glance over” (a mile away) and see how far ahead I am. There’ve been mornings I’ve forgotten I was doing this, only to be surprised by my other self riding up just after me, or lounging on the door frame as if he’d beat me by hours. “Don’t get cocky, kid” I say as I pat him on the shoulder and head to the showers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unusual-skills-do-you-have/813120.md?page=4)