# What useless skills can you NOT do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423 "2003-09-13T19:18:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/21 "2003-09-14T01:29:53Z")
I can’t make a paper airplane. Not even with detailed instructions. I can’t draw any person or animal figure that is not named Sticky Stickerton. I was in high school before I could draw your standard five pointed star. It should be obvious by now that my spatial skills are more than a little lacking. ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/22 "2003-09-14T01:40:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*I’m usually a very coordinated person but have never been able to get the ball back to the paddle more than twice, and it’s mostly by accident. I always felt like such a doofus trying. \*\* Yeah, I am basically coordinated too, but the paddle game frustrated me to no end. I can even juggle a little bit. (nothing more complicated than three identical items). ---
**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/23 "2003-09-14T02:05:03Z")
Can’t do the fingers-in-your-mouth whistle, can’t roll Rs (big pain in the ass when you took 6 years of Spanish…), can’t see Magic Eye pictures and… don’t laugh… I can’t ride a bike. I never managed to learn. I always fell over. ::hangs head:: ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/24 "2003-09-14T02:40:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AntaresJB \* > \*\*Can’t do the fingers-in-your-mouth whistle, can’t roll Rs (big pain in the ass when you took 6 years of Spanish…), can’t see Magic Eye pictures and… > > don’t laugh… > > I can’t ride a bike. I never managed to learn. I always fell over. > > ::hangs head:: \*\* Um, sorry **AntaresJB** , I laughed. But I wasn’t laughing _at_ you, I was laughing _near_ you. Ridicule me at will, in response. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/25 "2003-09-14T02:53:15Z")
I cant do the finger whistle either! ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/26 "2003-09-14T03:16:26Z")
I can’t do anything mentioned in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/27 "2003-09-14T03:25:47Z")
I cant whistle because I can’t roll my tongue, and I can’t wink:p 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/28 "2003-09-14T03:36:15Z")
I can’t snap my fingers. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/29 "2003-09-14T03:50:45Z")
Another non-loud whistle-finger-whistle type person here. I cannot move my ears (without my hands, that is) or wiggle my nose. Otherwise, I think I’m okay. A good friend of mine cannot belch at all. When it comes out, it sounds like a hiccup - it’s very frustrating for him because he really wants to. ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/30 "2003-09-14T04:59:49Z")
I am completely unable to roll R’s, which sometimes makes me feel like a dunce, particularly if watching something in Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/31 "2003-09-14T05:13:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drewbert \* > \*\*I can’t snap my fingers, and can barely whistle, only if I breathe in instead of out. I had amblyopia as a kid, so I’ll never see Magic Eye pictures without eye muscle surgery (and _that ain’t gonna happen thankyouverymuch._) \*\* Is _that_ what’s wrong with me? I also had a lazy eye when I was a little kid, and I can’t see the Magic Eyes at all. I can’t whistle either, maybe the breathing in technique would work for me. Wanna explain? No snapping of fingers either. I can at least roll my tongue. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/32 "2003-09-14T05:22:10Z")
I must confess, I also cannot ride a bike. Its a long story but basically I just never had the motivation to learn. I can’t burp either. When I have gas to release, I just sort of deeply breath it out. ---
**Author:** ![corndog\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@corndog\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corndog_man)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/33 "2003-09-14T05:22:37Z")
How do you roll R’s? ---
**Author:** ![Dana27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dana27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana27)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/34 "2003-09-14T05:23:14Z")
can’t raise just one eyebrow. Can only raise both of them. Damned annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/35 "2003-09-14T05:30:24Z")
I can roll my R’s, but I haven’t a clue as to how to tie a cherry-stem into a knot. I also can’t blow bubbles with bubblegum. I can’t lean backwards until my hands hit the floor. I can’t whistle. ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/36 "2003-09-14T05:43:02Z")
I can only raise my **right** eyebrow. For some reason, my left one just will not do it. I can raise them both at the same time, but only the right one individually. It’s kinda weird. I also cannot roll my R’s. According to my Spanish teacher, if you haven’t learned by a certain age, you’re never gonna learn. I always used to try when I was a kid, because my mom can do it perfectly, but I never could. I can whistle normally, but the fingers in the mouth thing? Uh uh. Also, I can’t do the whistle with the piece of grass thing either. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/37 "2003-09-14T05:51:53Z")
Oops, can’t ride a bike either. I was actually going to start a thread begging for advice on that in a few days. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/38 "2003-09-14T05:58:48Z")
> [@](#): > > I can only raise my right eyebrow. For some reason, my left one just will not do it. I can raise them both at the same time, but only the right one individually. It’s kinda weird. **Tanaqui** , I’m with you. Also, I don’t know how to whistle at all. I can’t do that trick where you pretend to have pulled off your thumb. ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/39 "2003-09-14T06:03:55Z")
I can do the loud whistle. I used to be able to do it really well, but then I had three teeth replaced with a bridge and now it is not so loud. I can’t do the two finger whistle, but I can fake it by sticking two fingers to my mouth and doing the standard loud whistle. I can’t juggle although my brother and my son can. ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423/40 "2003-09-14T13:55:59Z")
**T. Slothrop** , perhaps you could help out the many whistling-impaired thread-denizens, and give us some instruction. I really want to learn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-useless-skills-can-you-not-do/201423.md?page=3)