What do you know more about than 99.9% of the population? And how did you acquire that knowledge? List more than one area, if you’re up to the challenge…I’m curious, especially, about some posters around here who seem to know about all kinds of stuff that most people can’t get a day job doing, or who seem to have entirely unrelated day jobs to the area of their true life’s passions.
Mine: U.S. immigration law, and matters formerly Soviet/Russian/Caucasian.
Knowledge of the first: acquired through wacky jobs in refugee resettlement and court interpreting, and now for a private law firm.
Knowledge of the latter: acquired starting in summer camp at age 10 (late 70’s at the JCC in Rogers Park, so half the camp was fresh off the boat), running through college minor in Russian, semester in Leningrad (I know, but it was Leningrad at the time!), grad school, aforementioned wacky job in refugee resettlement, and summer in lovely Novosibirsk, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education, plus much learned from all the extremely colorful people met through those experiences (and others).
I’d list Spanish/Latin American Studies, but with the way things are going in the U.S. these days, that’s getting less and less unusual.
I can take a stab at a range of questions around the UK, British politics, political theory, football (soccer), certain genres of music, IT security and other IT topics and accountancy (to a limited degree). Not an expert in anything really, mind.
Kitchen and bath design, general remodeling/ woodworking (although forbin has the edge on me there as he is doing it whereas I’m in the back office now)
Sub saharan African geopolitics- not that I’m such an expert but there seems to be very little information readily available beyond stereotypes and CNN esque sound bites.
Irish music.
The first comes from doing it for years, the second from University education (Int’l relations/History), and the third comes from playing, listening to and generally immersing myself in it.
I used to be a pretty good fighter. Dunno about the top tenth of a percent, but maybe close including men, women, and kids of all ages. But even if I were, that would still add up to a whole bunch of guys who could kick my butt!
Other than that, my pool of knowledge is vast yet only inches deep.
Drawing portraits. I certainly don’t think I’m better than 99.9% of the public, though. There’s always someone better when it comes to art.
One of the reasons I am led to believe I’m good at portraits is that I can make up a face from scratch (entirely from my imagination) and people are fooled into thinking that I looked at a photograph to do the drawing. (I’ve even had art teachers look at my artwork and ask, “Now, show me the photograph you used for this”, only to be surprised when I tell them that there was no photograph.) This is not, I repeat not, all that all-fired unique (or at least it shouldn’t be). But since people (including many artists) repeatedly seem amazed that I can do this, I guess it’s not that commonplace.
I know quite a bit about film music, especially composers like Jerry Goldsmith. But there are people who are geekier than me.
I’m a historian. The area I’m most knowlegeable in is the hidden side of human behavior, such as birth control in the 19th century. I also delight in the little obscure details that not many people know, such as when forks came into common usage, and what people used for toilet paper. When I give guided tours at the museum I work for, it makes things a bit more interesting than a dry recitation of facts.
Photography. Film, not digital. Dad gave me a camera when I was 5 or 6 (late 1960’s), and has become a lifelong hobby. Ran photo studio and custom darkroom for several years (part time, see below), still do side/odd jobs.
Remodel. Know enough about all the trades needed to get by (and know enough to know when to call in someone better than me.) Specialty in faux finishes. Primary job for close to 20 years.
Bible and Bible related history. Grew up Christian, still consider myself to be, but have a disdain for most organized religion. Extreme curiosity and a love of reading contributes, too.
Sci-Fi geek. Says it all, no?
Basic astronomy and physics. For the layperson. Extreme curiosity again. Always willing to learn, more likely to ask questions rather than answer.
Friends say I’m pretty good at creative writing. I like short stories and poems.
Stinger anti-aircraft missiles
Four years active duty Marine Corps experience, two years Reserves. Platoon Commander, Battery Executive Officer, Marine Expeditionary Unit Detachment Officer-in-Charge, and Battalion Special Projects Officer.
Corrugated Packaging
Ten years experience, in manufacturing, procedural development and training, process improvement, technical service, and currently managing packaging for global produce company.
Well, I’m spending a few years designing software before I go to get my PhD, either in math or computer science (or both jointly, if I can). So I’d say there are a handful of subjects in which I qualify.
Critical Care Nursing–>I am an ACLS certified RN and have worked in an MICU/CCU for over 20 years.
All Things Episcopal–>I will be ordained to Holy Orders in this church in February 2003.
Bob Dylan–>I have been a Dylan Freak for over 30 years.
Embalming–>I kid you not. Before going to nursing school I was a ‘mort sci’ major.
(My wife is a radiation oncology RN and can answer any question about tha field. She is also Ukrainian and speaks the language fluently and could be a translator. Our son is a classically trained alto saxophonist.)
I can’t confess to having more knowledge about this than even 85% of the population, but I like to think I know a good deal about drums and their maintanance, tuning, etc. as well as drumming in general. Not a mastery of technique, mind, but understanding how it works. Also, I’m learning something new about this every day, so expertise varies.
Cabinetmaking is my principal area of expertise.
I’m also very good with finishing as well, varnishes and laquers and such.
I know most, if not all of the styles of the decorative arts too.
Below I will list things that I’m somewhat knowledgeable in:
Opera-composers, history, titles, etc. (I’ve got a reasonably good voice too)
I’m a reasonably good sailor
Geez, I can’t think of anything else. I’m a dumbshit.
I know more about paintball than 99.9999% of the population. I’ve been involved in paintball as a business for 8 years- retail, wholesale, fields and tournament promotions.
I’d also guess that I know more about Marvel comics and heavy metal music than 95% of the population.
I probably can pass the 99.9% test with finding oil and gas. I’ve been in the business 22 years and for the decade+ that I had my own company, I let my job define me, as side interests fell by the wayside. It’s changed since I got rid of my company; I’ve been working at an exploration company for about three years and have regained some outside interests.
Concommittant knowledge that falls outside the beaten path would include seismic interpretation, geophysical workstation operation, well log evaluation…, a whole bunch of things involved with exploration for and exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves.
