# Yuor extremely random hobbies/skills? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416 "2003-02-03T02:32:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/1 "2003-02-03T02:32:21Z")
What is the most random and/or impractical thing you know how to do? It doesn’t have to be your life’s work, just something you can do that most other people either can’t do, or don’t really care about. Some examples: A childhood friend of mine can curl her tongue into a cloverleaf shape. I once took a class in Georgian polyphonic singing, which probably makes me one of the, oh, couple dozen non-Georgians who have ever tried it. But possibly the geekiest example of random skills would be from my alumni newsletter, which told us all about the newly found niche of one fellow alum: the comparative analysis of various Russian translations of religious terminology in the works of Tolkien. He must be a real hoot at parties… Go on, confess! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/2 "2003-02-03T02:43:17Z")
Behold! A man who can pass gas at both ends simultaneously! ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/3 "2003-02-03T02:43:47Z")
I have a mutant ability to remember faces and names of TV and movie celebrities. I am not infallable of course, and my skills have slipped a little since I stopped watching as much TV. But still, this skill frightens me at times. I just _know_ stuff. Don’t know how, or why, but I just _know._ It freaks me out. If I’ve seen someone in some old movie or TV show (even if it was years ago) I usually remember their name and face. I’m especially doomed if I saw their name _and_ face together in the opening credits, or something. I’ll never forget them if that happens. I don’t care, I don’t want to remember, but I will. When anyone questions me when I state that so-and-so was in this or that movie, I look at them and say, “What? Are you questioning my _powers?_” Because that’s what they are. It’s scary, I’m telling ya. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/4 "2003-02-03T04:47:41Z")
I memorized pi to 60 decimal places. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/5 "2003-02-03T06:20:26Z")
I can answer the paraphrasing of the age-old riddle “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” by clapping my hand. I can also pat my head and rub my tummy at the same time, but it fails me as to why this is regarded as some great trick, as it seems rather easy. ---
**Author:** ![crinklebat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@crinklebat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crinklebat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/6 "2003-02-03T08:23:48Z")
I can write backwards, so that it is legible in a mirror. I can do this in uppercase block printing, lowercase normal printing, and extremely neat cursive, and can write at about two-thirds of the speed of writing normally. The consequence of having this skill and using it a lot is that, when I’m tired, I forget which way letters are supposed to go. ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/7 "2003-02-03T11:19:07Z")
I can’t remember what you said yesterday, but if you contradict something you told me 5 years ago, I’ll remember what you did say, word for word. It’s a weird ability that drives a lot of people crazy 😜 ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/8 "2003-02-03T13:04:57Z")
I can flip my eyelids up and make them stay there. If I squint a little bit it looks like my eyes were pulled from my head. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/9 "2003-02-03T13:12:10Z")
I can flare my nostrils in a rhythmic fashion. Yes, I didn’t think it was all that odd either, but my SO can’t do it to save his life. Seen some girls at my bar who can tie a knot in a cherry stem with their tongues. It’s a pity I’m not a man, or I’d have snapped those naughty vixens up in a New York minute. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fnoonf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f6c823/32.png) [@Fnoonf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fnoonf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/10 "2003-02-03T14:15:45Z")
I fire up NBA Live on my PC. Start a game in Franchise Mode. Make every single team user-controlled. Set settings to 12 minutes per quarter. Start up Game 1 of the season. Go to the kitchen, make myself some popcorn, pour a glass of Coke. Sit down, watch the computer play the entire game against itself (60+ minutes). Look through stats after game, noting that Ray Allen seems to be shooting well and Jason Kidd had 11 assists. Start up Game 2 of the season. Rinse, repeat. Look at stats. Watch patterns emerge as the “sacred geometry of chance” plays itself out. Am deeply fascinated. Also bloated with butter popcorn. Needless to say, everyone that’s seen me sitting in front of my computer raptly watching the CPU play against itself has the same response: “What’s the point?” Oh, you can talk, buddy. Let’s see you sink that game-winning 18-footer with 1.5 left on the clock like Kobe just did. Look! Look at the ecstatic rapture on his pixellated face! You only _wish_ you could do that. This will push his average up to 27.1 ppg, giving him the jump on Iverson for the home stretch of the MVP race! Bwaahahahahah! Bwwwaaaahahahahaaaa!! Run off to balcony, do victory dance. Am escorted back into room by nice orderlies and gently force-fed horse tranquilizers. Man, life is sweet. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/11 "2003-02-03T15:29:49Z")
I have perfect pitch and I can identify the note of any tone that I hear. Ive always taken this ability for granted and to me it’s no different than identifying colors, but a lot of people are amazed that I can do this. I can write backwards as well as upside-down, although I’ve never attempted to combine the two. I’m pretty good at saying tongue-twisters without screwing them up. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/12 "2003-02-03T15:45:31Z")
I can blow up balloons so that one is nested inside the other. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/13 "2003-02-03T15:47:30Z")
I’m double-jointed, and can sit or stand comfortably with my toes bent under my feet. It freaks my husband out. I have an excellent memory for what I guess you’d call “word-rhythm”. I can usually learn rhyming poetry after reading it a couple of times. Also a very good memory for detail in novels. I guess a generally good word-based memory. _That’s_ gonna get me lots of job offers! ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/14 "2003-02-03T16:00:38Z")
I’ll see your clover-leaf tongue and nostril-flaring, and raise you ear-wiggling. I once worked as a ‘packer’ for a moving company so I can pack the contents of your house efficiently and securely, and (this is the freakish part) I may well enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/15 "2003-02-03T16:12:47Z")
To the amusement of children (and I recently discovered, some young teenagers) I can snap the(first) joints of my thumbs just by bending them. It 's only amusing when I pretend that my thumb and forefinger are a gun. Apparently it’s neat to have a sound effect to go with the “firing”. People seem divided between being amused or disturbed that I can spread my toes and wiggle them seperately. I find it strange that many people can’t do this. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/16 "2003-02-03T16:28:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by welby \* > \*\*I can flip my eyelids up and make them stay there. If I squint a little bit it looks like my eyes were pulled from my head. \*\* I beg of you, please, _please_ never do that in front of me. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Fnoonf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f6c823/32.png) [@Fnoonf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fnoonf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/17 "2003-02-03T16:43:48Z")
I have the ability to look at a thread title, draw an instant assumption about what is contained therein and go straight to spouting an inappropriate story, all without even reading the OP! Ain’t it amazing? Gosh, I’m good. ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/18 "2003-02-03T17:16:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeadlyAccurate \* > \*\*I beg of you, please, _please_ never do that in front of me. :eek: \*\* Sure you don’t want to come to the Birthday Dope in Virginia? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/2bfe46/32.png) [@Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xavier)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/19 "2003-02-03T17:59:58Z")
I can make strange sounds using just my cheeks. I can blow a saliva bubble as large as some people blow a stick of gum. I used to be able to swirl my tongue around itself - kind of like a corkscrew motion whilst outstretched. I used to be able to read pretty fast. I also used to be freakishly strong (why does all the good stuff go away?) I’ll get back to you as I remember more, if this thread (hopefully) lives on. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416/20 "2003-02-03T18:23:32Z")
I can sing songs backwards. Mostly simple things–the ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle, Row Row Row Your Boat…I taught this to myself during the three weeks I was on the floor at the telemarketing job. I hated the job–it was boring as heck. We weren’t allowed to write or have books on the floor, so I had to amuse myself somehow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yuor-extremely-random-hobbies-skills/152416.md?page=2)