What are you good at?

dar512 · 05-27-2008, 03:32 PM

What skills are you justifiably proud of? I read recently that it takes five years to get good at most skills - 10 years to get really good. I think that's about right.

I'm a top-flight programmer. My stuff is readable and clean.
I make excellent BBQ - the real thing, not grilling.
I'm getting to be pretty good at the bass. Not there yet, but it's in my sights.

Each of these skills is something that I've spent a number of years improving on.

What's yours?

Cicero · 05-27-2008, 03:35 PM

Being late for work after a 3 day weekend apparently. Great at that. Just awesome.

Dingleschmutz · 05-27-2008, 03:41 PM

I'm decent at guitar.

I own at Super Mario 3.

I good at weaseling old people out of their money when I bartend at my part-time catering job. Old people heart me.

I'm pretty good with a grill.

I can beat my meat like it owes me money.

Undertoad · 05-27-2008, 03:47 PM

Bass: 'bout satisfied I can do whatever I need to do. People like what I do.

Cooking: same, I have a few techniques down and I know my way well enough to do some really nice things. I have dinner for two down. Ok knife technique, I can do a few sauces and work out a few seasonings. People like what I make.

Linux sysadmin: I got it pretty much figured out.

Battlefield 2: Excellent medic and sniper.

lookout123 · 05-27-2008, 04:07 PM

Directing people (usually kids) so they'll operate well as a team on a soccer field. Ironically I really suck at that in the business world because I just expect my employees to do their jobs. May be a lesson there somewhere.

DanaC · 05-27-2008, 04:05 PM

I'm a good historian. I can find the threads and patterns and follow them in order to answer historical questions. I am also a good academic writer. (I often submit first draft essays and have them returned with marks of 'high 1st class'. On the rare occassion I have had time to polish a piece it has come back with a mark of 'borderline excellent' or 'excellent'.) Both of these things require skills honed throughout my adult life.

I'm a good teacher. That involved a certain amount of learning, but in truth I was a natural at it when I started tutoring adult literacy. No idea how I'd be teaching younglings, but teaching adults I found very satisfying. I think that was the first time I discovered I was really quite good at something useful.

[eta] forgot to mention, I was a kickass PvPer in UO ! (Fencer)

Shawnee123 · 05-27-2008, 04:08 PM

spelling: I'm rilly good at that

quick humor: Queen of the Comeback

swimming: former mermaid, not competitive stroke/style swimming

DanaC · 05-27-2008, 04:15 PM

Decided to post something else as well. I got to thinking about it after I posted that last bit. I've always been a pretty good writer. I use words well, always have, but is that a skill or a talent? For a long time I wrote short stories and even made a few attempts at something longer. The writing I am good at....maintaining a project beyond the first stages less so. Nonetheless I always thought of myself as a prose writer. Partly because I was not much good at writing poetry.

Poetry though, I have worked at. Over the last six or seven years I have worked on my ability to express ideas through poetry and I think I have become quite good at it. Consequently, though I am probably a better prose writer than I am a poet, I am more proud of my poetry than I am of my regular writing.

kerosene · 05-27-2008, 04:42 PM

I am good at things like packing the most stuff in the back of a vehicle...or getting more dishes in the dishwasher than my husband. I think this is spatial something or other.

I also have great dexterity.

dar512 · 05-27-2008, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaC

I've always been a pretty good writer. I use words well, always have, but is that a skill or a talent?

A bit of both I would think. Even with natural talent, it takes some training and work to get good at something. If it took absolutely nothing on your part then count your blessings. Most people don't have anything like that kind of natural talent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaC

Consequently, though I am probably a better prose writer than I am a poet, I am more proud of my poetry than I am of my regular writing.

I understand. There's a good feeling in mastering something you had to wrestle to the ground first.

DanaC · 05-27-2008, 04:52 PM

*smiles* yeah. It's funny, because i was thinking about that only a couple of weeks ago. It's taken years of plugging away to loosen up around poetry and find my 'voice' (though I still experiment with different voices). I've gone from knowing i was pretty poor at it to feeling that I am quite good at it. It's one of those few things that I take a real pride in....as opposed to indulge in vanity about :P

lumberjim · 05-27-2008, 05:45 PM

The question is....what am I NOT good at?

Of all of my skills, I'd have to say my expertice at seeming humble and understated shines the most.

Clodfobble · 05-27-2008, 06:18 PM

I am insanely good at frankensteining audio (i.e., making you say words you never said.) I am also really good at foley work and sound design from scratch, but I take an especially perverse pleasure in frankensteining.

I'm also very good at the technical aspects of writing: grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling, usage rules...

HungLikeJesus · 05-27-2008, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

...

I'm also very good at the technical aspects of writing: grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling, usage rules...

So what do you think of the thread title?

spudcon · 05-27-2008, 07:24 PM

I've gotten really good at staying alive.

05-27-2008, 03:32 PM	#1
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	What are you good at? What skills are you justifiably proud of? I read recently that it takes five years to get good at most skills - 10 years to get really good. I think that's about right. I'm a top-flight programmer. My stuff is readable and clean. I make excellent BBQ - the real thing, not grilling. I'm getting to be pretty good at the bass. Not there yet, but it's in my sights. Each of these skills is something that I've spent a number of years improving on. What's yours? __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

05-27-2008, 03:35 PM	#2
Cicero Looking forward to open mic night. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5,148	Being late for work after a 3 day weekend apparently. Great at that. Just awesome. __________________ Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.- Carl Jung

05-27-2008, 04:07 PM	#5
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	Directing people (usually kids) so they'll operate well as a team on a soccer field. Ironically I really suck at that in the business world because I just expect my employees to do their jobs. May be a lesson there somewhere. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

05-27-2008, 04:08 PM	#7
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	spelling: I'm rilly good at that quick humor: Queen of the Comeback swimming: former mermaid, not competitive stroke/style swimming __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

05-27-2008, 05:45 PM	#12
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	The question is....what am I NOT good at? Of all of my skills, I'd have to say my expertice at seeming humble and understated shines the most. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

05-27-2008, 03:41 PM	#3
Dingleschmutz is not a palindrome... Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Des Moines Posts: 341	I'm decent at guitar. I own at Super Mario 3. I good at weaseling old people out of their money when I bartend at my part-time catering job. Old people heart me. I'm pretty good with a grill. I can beat my meat like it owes me money.

05-27-2008, 03:47 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Bass: 'bout satisfied I can do whatever I need to do. People like what I do. Cooking: same, I have a few techniques down and I know my way well enough to do some really nice things. I have dinner for two down. Ok knife technique, I can do a few sauces and work out a few seasonings. People like what I make. Linux sysadmin: I got it pretty much figured out. Battlefield 2: Excellent medic and sniper.

05-27-2008, 04:05 PM	#6
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	I'm a good historian. I can find the threads and patterns and follow them in order to answer historical questions. I am also a good academic writer. (I often submit first draft essays and have them returned with marks of 'high 1st class'. On the rare occassion I have had time to polish a piece it has come back with a mark of 'borderline excellent' or 'excellent'.) Both of these things require skills honed throughout my adult life. I'm a good teacher. That involved a certain amount of learning, but in truth I was a natural at it when I started tutoring adult literacy. No idea how I'd be teaching younglings, but teaching adults I found very satisfying. I think that was the first time I discovered I was really quite good at something useful. [eta] forgot to mention, I was a kickass PvPer in UO ! (Fencer)

05-27-2008, 04:15 PM	#8
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	Decided to post something else as well. I got to thinking about it after I posted that last bit. I've always been a pretty good writer. I use words well, always have, but is that a skill or a talent? For a long time I wrote short stories and even made a few attempts at something longer. The writing I am good at....maintaining a project beyond the first stages less so. Nonetheless I always thought of myself as a prose writer. Partly because I was not much good at writing poetry. Poetry though, I have worked at. Over the last six or seven years I have worked on my ability to express ideas through poetry and I think I have become quite good at it. Consequently, though I am probably a better prose writer than I am a poet, I am more proud of my poetry than I am of my regular writing.

05-27-2008, 04:42 PM	#9
kerosene Touring the facilities Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The plains of Colorado Posts: 3,476	I am good at things like packing the most stuff in the back of a vehicle...or getting more dishes in the dishwasher than my husband. I think this is spatial something or other. I also have great dexterity.

05-27-2008, 04:52 PM	#11
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	smiles yeah. It's funny, because i was thinking about that only a couple of weeks ago. It's taken years of plugging away to loosen up around poetry and find my 'voice' (though I still experiment with different voices). I've gone from knowing i was pretty poor at it to feeling that I am quite good at it. It's one of those few things that I take a real pride in....as opposed to indulge in vanity about :P

05-27-2008, 06:18 PM	#13
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I am insanely good at frankensteining audio (i.e., making you say words you never said.) I am also really good at foley work and sound design from scratch, but I take an especially perverse pleasure in frankensteining. I'm also very good at the technical aspects of writing: grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling, usage rules...

05-27-2008, 07:24 PM	#15
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 2,078	I've gotten really good at staying alive. __________________ "I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

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