OT: Things You Suck At Worse Than You Should

[alphasigko]

Guitar. I own about 30 guitars. Can barely play.

What ya got to sell?

 

[crazyUCfan23]

Basketball - I once was selected for the free throw competition on the court during an exhibition game at XL several years ago. I went like 3/11 (I had also drank a bottle of chapagne prior)

Gift Wrapping - for whatever reason, a skill I have never been able to master.

 

[Conndog]

Technology things- getting a computer so, figuring out how to use TV remote, etc. ki f of wish it was pre-computer times.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I suppose the obvious one for me is hearing, but I'm probably actually better at it than I should be, all things considered. That's small consolation to those who need to suffer through it with me. So I'll offer these.

Running. Even when I was a skinny middle school kid, I struggled to finish the required 10 minute mile. After 100 yards or so I can't breathe. Can run all day in shorter stretches, playing football or soccer.

Golf Iron play. I can putt. I can drive. I can chip. I can do the harder things and can't do the easier thing. I think my chipping is decent because I never hit greens.

 

[dennismenace]

Horseshoes. I could never get the one rotation "flip". Instead, it usually landed on the ends and went bouncing off into the woods. It got to be so embarrassing that at family picnics I would just sit it out.
For a while I was saved by the game "Jarts" which utilized missile type iron rods with plastic fins that you tried to throw underhand in a trajectory at a hoop so many feet away. Unfortunately for me that fell out of favor after a few years when some people who perhaps got distracted and wound up getting one coming down on the top of their heads or through their foot.

Also, just about anything mechanical that requires fixing. I often well understand the nature of the problem but forget about actually fixing it. I just find it hard to have any patience with it all. Just all thumbs with that.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Wow. That's me too. Are you left handed by any chance?

Ambidextrous.

 

[Kathy]

Like a couple others said, golf. No consistency. For 9 holes I can shoot anywhere from 52-62. I'm not looking to be great, I just don't want to be the worst of my group, which I am. Under 50 is a miracle and a half. I'm trying something new this year and driving the ball better. Trying to see if it works for the irons as well. My Mother's Day gift to the wife is me leaving the house and golfing 9 at Rolling Greens in Rocky Hill Sunday. 53 last week, so I'm off to a decent start.

My 59- 64 doesn't sound so bad for 9 now. I hit it straight, but wish I got more distance. Short game not bad, could putt better though.
Lessons helped a little - but played too long without instruction to correct everything.

 

[ctchamps]

Winning an argument with my wife. And stubbornly believing after 48 and 1/2 years the next one will prove differently.

Ballroom dancing with the exception of the Cha Cha. I was good at soccer, kick ball and other sports. I was good at square dancing as long as there was a caller. But ballroom dancing was my achilles heel. We took ballroom dancing lessons for our wedding. I sweated as much thinking about the reception and the dancing as I did about getting married. Of course if I knew I was gonna go 0 for 10,000 with winning arguments I might have sweated more about marriage.

But the thing that I should be better at is telling stories. People cannot tell if I'm exaggerating and being humorous or if I'm serious.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I don't think I've ever spelled "convenience" correctly without autocorrect. Half the time auto correct doesn't even pick up what I'm trying to type.

 

[storrsroars]

Many a truth spoken in jest. You get what you give.

I sense antipathy. And this after I shared my favorite vodka with you

Anyway, to be a bit more serious, I suck at so many things I think I should be better at that it's hard to make a list. I'm pretty logical and methodical on many things, useful for cooking and roasting coffee and many other endeavors. But I'm also impatient, so I could never master coding, and I get really frustrated at stuff like carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. I always had this vague notion that in retirement I'd have a woodworking shop, make stuff and sell it at flea markets or online. I'd probably break more chairs out of frustration than complete any.

And retirement golf is out. I can make any shot 1x in 10. But I try 10x out of 10. I have a complete inability to recognize I am not Phil Mickelson, so I'll card 90s or worse when I think if I had a lobotomy I could shoot in the 70s.

So I think when I retire I'll just be a writer. Or just a reader, lol.

 

[Chin Diesel]

But the thing that I should be better at is telling stories. People cannot tell if I'm exaggerating and being humorous or if I'm serious.

IMO that makes you a great story teller.

 

[August_West]

Guitar. I own about 30 guitars. Can barely play.

Dentist or Lawyer?

You are one or the other (or maybe some kind of Dr.)

But yeah, I taught for years, and it was amazing the 5,000 dollar and up!!!!! guitars my students who were dentists or lawyers walked in with and couldnt play. I was teaching with a home made partscaster that probably cost me 550 all in. And then the next week they brought another to show me! And that's fine, its a hobby, I own expensive cooking crap and Im not a chef (it's my hobby).


Just relating an uncanny life experience.

I bet one of those is a Gibson Les Paul. Probably an R9. You definitely have a Paul Reed Smith too. And a Martin or Taylor (or both) acoustic. amirite?

 

[8893]

Dentist or Lawyer?

You are one or the other (or maybe some kind of Dr.)

Are you suggesting that a dentist is not a doctor?

 

[uconnfan68]

Ambidextrous.

More like ambidisasterous.

 

[August_West]

Are you suggesting that a dentist is not a doctor?

 

[Stinger92860]

Melting chocolate. It required patience. I’m good at burning chocolate.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Are you suggesting that a dentist is not a doctor?

I have two good friends who are dentists. I chose my career poorly. Those people work the shortest hours and vacation constantly, while complaining about how much lost income vacations cost them.

 

[storrsroars]

Dentist or Lawyer?

You are one or the other (or maybe some kind of Dr.)

But yeah, I taught for years, and it was amazing the 5,000 dollar and up!!!!! guitars my students who were dentists or lawyers walked in with and couldnt play. I was teaching with a home made partscaster that probably cost me 550 all in. And then the next week they brought another to show me! And that's fine, its a hobby, I own expensive cooking crap and Im not a chef (it's my hobby).


Just relating an uncanny life experience.

I bet one of those is a Gibson Les Paul. Probably an R9. You definitely have a Paul Reed Smith too. And a Martin or Taylor (or both) acoustic. amirite?

I'm reminded of this great Louis CK story about buying a trumpet.

 

[Kajik]

Expressing how I feel without hurting people's feelings,there's a lot of sensitive folks here

 

[Fishy]

1. No sense of direction. None. I get lost everywhere. I second guess GPS.
2. I cannot fold a shirt or a towel despite having copious instruction from my wife.
3. Tolerating you people.

 

[uconndogs]

I really can't think of anything, but I'm guessing my wife can......

 

[nycscooby]

Giving compliments, especially to my wife. It’s not that I don’t want to but I just don’t seem to often enough. To all you young married types, compliment often it definitely helps.

 

[August_West]

1. No sense of direction. None. I get lost everywhere. I second guess GPS.
2. I cannot fold a shirt or a towel despite having copious instruction from my wife.
3. Tolerating you people.

I can fold absolutely nothing clothing wise, (every person who has seen me attempt to fold a piece of clothing has immediately taken pity on me, gotten frustrated and said "here I'll do it" ) but I used to be an origami expert making a bindle out of a magazine page. Go figure.

Along the same lines, I was told to to put a cover on a duvet a few weeks ago for the first time in my life because fiancee was sick.

It was literally impossible. I could not accomplish the task. I can write an elegant script that will bring down the boneyard in 30 seconds, but I can't put a cover on a duvet.

 

[Kolumbo]

Are you suggesting that a dentist is not a doctor?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Gift Wrapping - for whatever reason, a skill I have never been able to master.

That's a good one. I swear I was better at it when I was 12 than I am now.