# What's something mundane you can't do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091 "2008-01-18T23:07:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/61 "2008-01-20T03:59:20Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Ah, but can you swim _above_ water without holding your nose? [/QUOTE] Sorta. šŸ™‚ (I taught myself, so my technique is lousy, but I can stay afloat.) Iā€™m in grad school now, and Iā€™ve been distressed to discover I canā€™t speak up in class without first rehearsing what I want to say in my head several times. Iā€™m envious of those who can engage in lively debates in class, because by the time I know what I want to say, the conversation has turned to something else. If I have to speak without preparation, Iā€™m an incoherent mess. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/62 "2008-01-20T04:06:21Z")
[QUOTE=Lillith Fair] Iā€™m a pretty good musician so I can read all the notes and stuff. Iā€™m an organist, so I can read three lines-both clefs and the third line being the pedal. But for the life of me I canā€™t read open score for the choir. I can usually handle three parts, but add the fourth one and Iā€™m done for. You have to transpose the tenor line down an octave in your head. Damn! Itā€™s hard! [/QUOTE] (Edit window expired) This reminded meā€¦I can sight-read music as fluently as I read words, but I cannot memorize music to save my life. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/63 "2008-01-20T04:23:05Z")
The two-fingered whistle and snapping my fingers. I guess Iā€™m just no-good at attracting attention to myself. Oh, and you can probably add cartwheels of any type to the list. I never tried as a kid (believe it or not) and Iā€™m too old and stiff to even think about it now, dagnabbit! ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/64 "2008-01-20T14:04:56Z")
Swallow carbonated beverages without holding them in my mouth for a few seconds. This is not an exaggeration of time; itā€™s about 3 to 4 full seconds. I think I need time for the fizziness to go away, or something. Itā€™s a good thing I donā€™t much care for those kinds of drinks, as I doubt itā€™s a great idea to bathe your teeth in them like that. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/65 "2008-01-20T17:04:21Z")
Do a running dive into a swimming pool. I can dive if I squat down and roll myself forward with my hands in front of me, but that run-jump-dive is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/66 "2008-01-20T19:41:25Z")
I have never been able to: [ul] [li]do the two-fingered whistle (despite many times slobbering on my fingers trying)[/li][li]Turn a cartwheel (just canā€™t get my legs up enough)[/li][li]some simple math (if I think about it for longer than a second I wonā€™t get it and will need a calculator, while breaking out in a cold sweat)[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/67 "2008-01-20T19:47:35Z")
Let me add one for my husband - he cannot float in water (or in the air, either, but thatā€™s not important right now). I know when most people hear that, they think, ā€œWell, everyone can float a little; are you sure youā€™re doing it right?ā€ I have worked with him extensively on this - the man is made of solid granite - he does not float AT ALL. Ever. If you put a scuba on him, he could go sit on the bottom of the pool until the air ran out. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/68 "2008-01-20T20:00:25Z")
I cannot tell a lie about my 45-foot yacht. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/69 "2008-01-20T20:48:01Z")
I CAN NOT switch gender pronouns in conversation. Itā€™s a nightmare trying to say ā€œHe said that to her because he thinks his is better than hers.ā€ I usually just give up and stick to one gender throughout, turning the minority gender into the other one. Rarely does this confuse, often does this amuse. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/70 "2008-01-20T22:47:21Z")
I cannot shuffle cards. My whole family can, but every time I try, I end up spraying cards all over the room. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/71 "2008-01-21T00:09:12Z")
As others said, I canā€™t shuffle cards, belch on command (unless I take a gulp of pop), or do the two-fingered whistle. Other things? I canā€™t drive, I cannot do a proper dive into a swimming pool (at least not from a diving board-I can do the shallow dive thing). Oh, and I canā€™t sing, and I suck at math. (Oh, and from what I heard, curling oneā€™s tongue is a genetic thing. True?) ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/72 "2008-01-21T00:40:29Z")
[QUOTE=Crawlspace] I canā€™t bend the distal joints of my pinkies without also bending my ring finger, and thereā€™s not much strength to the bend until the middle fingers get involved. Itā€™s supposedly one of those genetic things. [/QUOTE] You can overcome it with finger exercises. My husband did; I almost have. I started using one of [these things](http://www.painreliever.com/Hand+Strength.html) after I broke my third metacarpal in a car accident. Luckily my husband had one already around - itā€™s how he became able to move his pinky independently for guitar work. ---
**Author:** ![Sublata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@Sublata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublata)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/73 "2008-01-21T01:56:38Z")
I canā€™t distinguish among models of cars or trucks. I can tell a sedan from a pick-up, but all sedans looks the same to me, and all pick-ups, too. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Wing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@Little\_Wing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Wing)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/74 "2008-01-21T05:01:37Z")
I can do the two-fingered whistle with my thumb and index finger (hrmā€¦guess that would be the thumb and finger whistleā€¦) but I never mastered the no-fingered whistle, like you see cowboys doing when herding cattle. I didnā€™t learn to swallow pills until I was in my early 20s. Like others, I canā€™t drive a stick (never learned), I canā€™t do basic math in my head and while I did learn the multiplication tables in grade school, Iā€™ve forgotten them over the years. I have never been able to touch my toes without bending my knees, even when I was young and athletic. I canā€™t pronounce ambulance or antibiotic as most people do, usually stressing the wrong syllable even when I try to get it right. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/75 "2008-01-21T06:48:50Z")
Drive a car. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/76 "2008-01-21T07:10:58Z")
Another ā€œcanā€™t finger whistleā€ guy. Never realized so many people couldnā€™t do that. I feel better now. All those with problems popping pills šŸ™‚ ā€“ what you have is a heightened [Gag Reflex](http://medical.merriam-webster.com/medical/gag). [This article](http://www.wikihow.com/Disengage-Your-Gag-Reflex) purports to suggest a way of moderating it; in addition to the warnings within, Iā€™ll add my own caveats that _ **IANAD; I ran into this article doing a Google search and have no idea how accurate, safe or wise it is; donā€™t take medical advice from strangers** _, etcā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/77 "2008-01-21T07:45:26Z")
> [@An Gadai](#): > > Drive a car. Well, itā€™s a little different when you live in Ireland, isnā€™t it? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/78 "2008-01-21T13:01:29Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Well, itā€™s a little different when you live in Ireland, isnā€™t it? [/QUOTE] Well there arenā€™t that many horse and traps going around anymore ya know! šŸ™‚ ---
**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:** [January 21, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/79 "2008-01-21T13:59:54Z")
Drive a car and tell cars apart. Iā€™m about as ignorant about cars as one can be in the 21st century. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091/80 "2008-01-21T16:31:03Z")
Iron a shirt or pair of pants. I suppose itā€™s willful ignorance as much as anything else - Iā€™ve never sat down and learned, but it seems hopelessly daunting to me. But I **can** snap my fingers, whistle, gargle, swallow pills, roll my Rs, roll my tongue, speak articulately off the cuff, ride a bike, drive a stick shift and do a decent cartwheel (at least I could 40 pounds ago), soā€¦ šŸ˜› [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-something-mundane-you-cant-do/434091.md?page=5)