This may have been done before, but I don’t remember seeing it recently. I mostly want to see what people say, so that I can know who to direct questions to!
We all have one or two areas of expertise. Could be a hobby, field of study or profession. What topics do you scan GQ for, knowing you’ll be able to provide at least a partial answer? Maybe you’ve even had your name dropped in a thread about it, since someone knew you’d be able to point them in the right direction.
For me, it’s classical history. Anything Greek and Roman I can usually manage. Sometimes I can help with Latin and Greek, but enough people seem to be able to read those languages that I get there late.
In an earlier thread I was reminded that I was damn good at IBM mainframe programming (COBOL, JCL, CICS, DB2, etc…). Don’t do much of that anymore since I’ve graduated to my level of incompetence as a project manager.
I still kick ass on downhill skis. I’m told I’m graceful even on the steepest double diamond runs.
Living in snow would be my expertise. Got a foot on Friday night and another 4” last night. That’s our typical spring. Another month and I will call it summer. But it will snow a bit through the summer.
We had, oh about 12-18 feet of snow this year. Ya stop counting after a while. No point in it. Our first big snow was 2 feet October 10th.
We will get a couple of months of ‘summer’, and then start all over again.
Gators are needed, snowshoes are nice (but a bit of a pain). Chains on the plow truck on all four wheels. Yep. Four wheel drive at least on anything else.
I pulled my Wife’s Grand Jeep out 4 times last ‘winter’ with the plow truck.
Stick the plow truck? Not fun. Did it though. Second time in 13 years.
I should clarify this by saying that I know nothing compared to tomndebb and others on the boards. I just mean that I will open threads about it and chime in with something very basic!
Not too many folk know more about Social Security disability law than I do, which kinda comes with having it be the main part of my job these past couple of decades.
I know quite a bit about certain aspects of planted aquaria.
And I’m pretty good company on a golf course.
Beer, blowing things up, the various Whedon-verses, the Discworld.
In most areas I am a dillitante and greatly overshadowed by the true Experts we have here. But I’ll go nose-to-nose with anybody about beer and home-brewing.
It depends on whether you mean are we experts here or in our regular day-to-day interactions.
I’d consider myself a bit of a music expert (with certain foci of course) as music is both an avid hobby and a bit of a vocation for me.
In normal life I like to consider myself an expert on Greek/Roman mythology and Latin, but here on the SDMB (or in meetings with the local university’s classics dept. club) I’m definitely an amateur.
There are also a few areas in which, while I may not be able to provide the best and most detailed advice, I can read anything any true expert might say and be able to understand exactly what he/she is talking about. Web design and audio production are two such areas for me.
Track and Field, not so much trivia about participants but I know all of the events, rules and regulations.
Child Development is one of my majors and I happen to know a lot about Pre-school aged children since I have been working with them from elementary school on. Whenever I do not know something about child development I can always ask my mother who has been in the field since before I was born.
Just back from New Orleans (or, as it is called NOLA). I was surprised to find out that my area of expertise is in getting shatfaced without throwing up. All my rowdy friends were unable to match that feat.
I know something about everything, not everything about anything. This feat does not lend itself to answering questions in GQ.
I do have an animation degree, however, and I’ve found I’m pretty good at critiquing movies.
Nonprofit organizations. No kidding. If you want to write a grant to a foundation for a grant, I’ve been on the other side enough times to clue you in on what makes a good grant good and a bad grant horrible. I know what a healthy nonprofit organization looks like, and can predict which ones that, in spite of providing very good programs, probably will fail.
I’m a damn good listen and usually hear things in conversations that other people miss completely. Body language? I’m your gal. I catch the twitch of an eye, the slight shift in body positioning, the vague curl of a mouth that most people never even notice.
I think I’m an okay cook (never killed anyone. yet), but most people I know that I cook for think I’m amazing. I do admit that I’m a damn good baker (desserts mostly), but apparently, I do a fine job cooking.
I’m prompt and on time. That’s a skill that not enough people have, believe me. It’s no mistake either, but takes lots of practice and something that I’m always aware of. If you think it’s not a skill, try waiting 20 minutes for someone who blows off their lateness with lame apologies (or none at all) once they arrive.
