# What's the least important thing that you're really, really good at? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 23, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166 "2010-02-23T20:57:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/41 "2010-02-24T00:29:15Z")
> [@heraldgwena](#): > > If I had a nickel for every time some one told me, “You’ll never get that (all) in there…” If there were ever a need for a TWSS smiley…:o ---
**Author:** ![Baby\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@Baby\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baby_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/42 "2010-02-24T01:22:46Z")
I can rattle off the twelve books of the minor prophets from the Old Testament in order in about 3 seconds. Actually, I can list all 66 books of the Bible in order, but the minor prophets make a better parlor trick, since even devout Christians have trouble with them. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/43 "2010-02-24T01:43:22Z")
Minesweeper? Although I haven’t quite gotten the sum of my three times to double digits. ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/44 "2010-02-24T01:48:18Z")
I am really, really good at manually locating and squishing fleas on cats. There are some basic visual hunting skills involved here, in knowing their favorite hiding places and recognizing their scat. But I got to the point I could find them based on tactile sensitivity alone, allowing me to hunt in the dark. I have three cats, but now live in a climate (and at an altitude) that does not support a flea population. I’ve been robbed of my repertoire. It’s just as if Bode Miller had moved to Guam or something. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/45 "2010-02-24T01:48:27Z")
I can put my hands together in ‘praying’ position behind my back (palms together, fingers pointing upwards) in between my shoulder blades. I used to be truly awesome at Minesweeper, and got my best time on the largest setting to 78 seconds. I can barely break 100 now, though. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/46 "2010-02-24T02:14:41Z")
I can write backwards - in cursive - with my left and right hand. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/47 "2010-02-24T02:19:36Z")
I can bend my nose up so that the tip touches the bridge. Yes, I do look just like a little piggy when I do this. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/48 "2010-02-24T02:36:37Z")
I can crack open a bottle of beer with just about any object. “where’d I put the opener?” _pop_ “how’d you do that?” “ball point pen.” ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/49 "2010-02-24T02:51:21Z")
I think I’ve lost this skill which I don’t mind at all: but when I was working as a graphic designer, I could identify about 15 of the most common fonts whenever I saw them. Including telling if it was Arial, Helvetica, or Futura. It was annoying, but it did make my job faster when I needed to match fonts. Oh, I’m pretty sure I could still do this one if it was relevant: I could identify whether or not I had that comic issue as I was flipping through (I’ve since gotten rid of most of my comics. I was also terrifically fast at flipping through comics). I have a terrific mind for visual trivia. Back at the old job, I could tell you if we had that label (since I made labels all day long) and who was the rep for it with 90% accuracy (it did help that for most of the time we only had three reps). It was annoying driving around and going ‘I’ve done labels for them. I’ve done labels for them. I think I’ve done labels for THAT location of them.’ For a while I could tell you within ten seconds which episode of ST:TOS was on, NOT from watching it, but from reading the novelizations. I’m still pretty good at it. I can often guess what movie it is within a minute or so, even if I haven’t seen the movie. (Hm, that looks like Venice. And that’s a sub. I bet that’s “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.” Yup. I’ve done more impressive ones too.) And one that sometimes grosses people out - I can wind my leg around a chair leg or my other leg - so they cross twice (knee, then ankles so my big toes are almost touching). I can still get my feet to my face as well, although there tends to be cracking of joints now. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/50 "2010-02-24T02:55:21Z")
There are a couple famous cartoon characters I can draw really well. Impresses the hell out of little kids. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/51 "2010-02-24T03:22:38Z")
> [@GilaB](#): > > I used to be truly awesome at Minesweeper, and got my best time on the largest setting to 78 seconds. I can barely break 100 now, though. My best is 74 _flex_. The world record is something like 37. I’d like to see a system for luck being taken into account somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/52 "2010-02-24T04:08:36Z")
I can almost always tell how a movie is going to end. I know who dies, who ends up together, who gets the terminal disease, if there is going to be a “twist” and what that twist will be. It drives my husband crazy when I call what is going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/53 "2010-02-24T04:29:11Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I can pour liquid into a bottle from a great height without spilling it - no matter how narrow the neck of the bottle is. > > This one is hard to desribe, but try it anyway. Put the fingers of one hand in a “Live Long and Prosper” position > > pointer/middle | wide space | ring/pinkie > > Put the other hand in the “opposite position” > > pointer | wide space | middle/ring | wide space | Pinkie > > Got that? Now switch them. > > Back and forth, no hesitation or unsynchronized movement. > > Huh? Huh? Pretty impressive, right? 😛 > > I can also wiggle my nose like a bunny. Just the very tip, up and down. And ears - even one at a time, or move my whole scalp back and forth. > > These are the little things that keep Catholics kids sane during the Homily. Dammit! I can do all of those things, except the pouring thing (never tried). You stole my useless talents! How about I advertise myself as the Protestant Version of What TruCelt Can Do? ---
**Author:** ![Wincerind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@Wincerind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wincerind)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/54 "2010-02-24T11:43:33Z")
Make Irish Coffee. I suck at cooking, but my Irish coffee is way better than any I ever got in a restaurant. And I whip the cream myself, no cream from cans for me or my guests ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/55 "2010-02-24T12:54:20Z")
I can read upside down, backwards or mirrored print. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/56 "2010-02-24T15:00:49Z")
I can take anything and reduce it to its component parts. Sometimes I can even put it back together again. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/57 "2010-02-24T15:04:35Z")
When it comes to useless skills, [this guy](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7279808/Former-caretaker-can-identify-vacuum-cleaners-by-their-sound.html) has us all beat > [@](#): > > James Brown claims he can identify different vacuum cleaners simply through their sound. The Sunday Telegraph put him to the test and challenged him to recognise five machines from his collection from the noise of their motors. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/58 "2010-02-24T15:07:03Z")
> [@GilaB](#): > > I can put my hands together in ‘praying’ position behind my back (palms together, fingers pointing upwards) in between my shoulder blades. Hey, I can do that! I wonder–are your shoulders like mine? I can, for lack of a better description, pull my arms out of the sockets. But I have to maintain some kind of weight or pressure to keep them there, or they go right back in. My elbows also hyperextend–a “locked” elbow puts my arm at several degrees past 180. > [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > I can crack open a bottle of beer with just about any object. It’s like you’re the anti-me! I once, out of desperation, attempted to open a bottle of beer with a door latch (you know, the hole in the jamb that the bit that the knob controls sockets into), and it ended with the top of the bottle broken off, cap still firmly attached to that part. > [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Including telling if it was Arial, Helvetica, or Futura. I just learned how to tell the difference beteween Arial and Helvetica–and figured out that a presentation being given to a group of clients yesterday morning had NOT been composed in Arial, as is our company standard, but Helvetica. (How the hell they managed to do that, I have no idea, since our documents all start in the correct formatting by default: you have to actually \*try \*to screw things up.) ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/59 "2010-02-24T15:13:44Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I just learned how to tell the difference beteween Arial and Helvetica–and figured out that a presentation being given to a group of clients yesterday morning had NOT been composed in Arial, as is our company standard, but Helvetica. They’re very different if you’ve developed the eye. The s’s and c’s are the biggest giveaway. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166/60 "2010-02-24T15:22:10Z")
I used to be really, really good at pinball. “Walk away from the machine after an hour on one quarter, leaving five credits in the machine” good. Once I turned 12, though, my skills declined in a hurry. Maybe _Tommy_ was right about that part, that kids are the best at pinball. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-least-important-thing-that-youre-really-really-good-at/530166.md?page=4)