Do you have any skills or expertise that would amaze others?

[Alex_Sanders]

I do not. I'm bilingual, but one of them is Americanese so it doesn't stand out much, I can perform 4 digit calculation in my head within 30 seconds but my niece is catching up fast and she's only 3rd grade. I have good long term memory, but have to prove that in at least ten years.

 

[Danger]

Yup.

 

[Curious3141]

Yup.

What, brevity?

 

[leroyjenkens]

I can juggle 3 balls. I've been able to do that since I was 7 years old. I'm now 28 and can still only juggle 3 balls. Never made it to 4. But people are still impressed by that. Seems to me everyone should at least have the dexterity to juggle 3 balls. It's not hard.

I can also balance things really well. Like sticks. I can balance them on my chin and my foot. That's not hard either. I'm usually surprised at how bad people are at that.

 

[lisab]

I can juggle 3 balls. I've been able to do that since I was 7 years old. I'm now 28 and can still only juggle 3 balls. Never made it to 4. But people are still impressed by that. Seems to me everyone should at least have the dexterity to juggle 3 balls. It's not hard.

I can also balance things really well. Like sticks. I can balance them on my chin and my foot. That's not hard either. I'm usually surprised at how bad people are at that.

Can you balance a stick and juggle at the same time?

 

[Curious3141]

Can you balance a stick and juggle at the same time?

I can manage a stick and 2 balls at once. Most men can.

 

[Andre]

I can multitask, like walking, chewing gum and listening to music at the same time. Does that count? But it served me well for my career as fighter pilot.

Also, at age 12, some century ago, I would challenge anybody for quizzes about recognising aquarium fish (latin names). Currently that would be about facts pertaining the last glacial transition between 25K and 10K years ago

 

[turbo]

I don't know if "amaze" is an apt word, but I can play guitar and sing well enough to make a living at it, though that was cut short by my inability to tolerate perfumes, colognes, and fragrances in fabric products. Too bad, because I could pull in over $30/hr for hosting open mic jams at taverns. Some less-experienced guitarists were "amazed" at my ability to play a song in any key that they specified. That was simple: just learn barre chords and learn to build leads out of runs associated with those chords. Guitar is a wonderfully transposable instrument, if you have the skills. When someone wanted to sing and had problems with the chosen key, out would come the capos. I never used one.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Can you balance a stick and juggle at the same time?

Nope. And I can't juggle sticks. The flipping of them throws me off. I can balance balls, but it's hard. I can spin a basketball on my finger too.
So yeah, I can do a bunch of useless stuff.
I'm also apparently really knowledgeable about 90's movies. My friends bought a movie trivia game and there are about 100 or so questions for each decade and I got nearly every single 90's question right. For some reason movies and actors are something I remember well.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Doesn't amaze my musical friends (or my kids), but some people are amazed that I can play several piano concertos pretty well (especially Rachmaninov 2 and Grieg) and also several violin concertos (especially Bruch no.1 and Tchaikovsky).

I can also juggle 3 balls or random objects of the right sort of weight, but not without occasionally dropping one!

Less seriously, I can whistle and hum at the same time in three-part harmony. (The second humming part sounds very similar to the first, but is actually a beat frequency selected by choosing the appropriate interval between the humming and whistling).

Even less seriously, I can whistle and hum two different tunes at the same time if I know them both well enough. (The examples I usually use here are the British National Anthem and Rule Britannia, but I also do requests). You do NOT want to hear that.

 

[Fredrik]

I can clap with one hand, and I can tell the difference between Coca-Cola from a 330 ml can and a 500 ml bottle just by smell. Don't think anyone is amazed by it though. I can juggle 3 balls too, but for some reason, a lot of people can do that here in Sweden.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I can multiply 13 digit numbers in my head. 2 trillion times 3 trillion is 6 septillion.

 

[bpatrick]

I have a few hidden talents. Not sure if they really AMAZE others but eh, acquaintances are usually surprised when they find any of these out:

I can juggle 3, 4, 5 balls, that's kinda impressive I guess, I learned that in high school.

I can crochet, knit, macrame, weave, and whittle. (awe usually follows after I tell people I made the birthday/christmas/whatever gift I just gave them)

My last hidden talent is that I still have a 100+ mph serve in tennis even though I have only played 2-3 times a year since the high school state championships.

Although this isn't really "hidden" since I have a masters in classical trumpet performance, most of my science/academic colleagues don't realize my income is from being a professional musician, which usually amazes them ... the reverse is also true, where my musician friends often find it interesting that I'm going back to school for an MD/PhD.

 

[mathwonk]

no. that would be, no.

 

[jim hardy]

I have an amazing social obtuseness. Can be counted on to say "just the wrong thing".

But i used to be able to taste a Busch beer and name which brewery it came from.

 

[lisab]

no. that would be, no.

I know a must-meet-minimum-character-requirement post when I see one - is that amazing?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I can pour water into the coffee maker with highest rate of flow possible... are you ready? ... without spilling any.

 

[arildno]

I can pick my nose while showering.

 

[turbo]

I can pick my nose while showering.

Oh, yeah? Well I can shower without peeing in the shower.

 

[arildno]

Oh, yeah? Well I can shower without peeing in the shower.

Can you keep from singing as well?

 

[turbo]

Can you keep from singing as well?

If I can still hum.

 

[arildno]

If I can still hum.

I'm glad I live far away from you.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

I can improvise on my guitar (it's like building some mathematical sequences for me really), but I rarely if ever play outside my room.

Sometimes I can even make some hoops from beyond the arc, it always seem to amaze the youngsters playing there (little toddlers), but I am not consistent with my shooting.
Can't dunk though... :-(

 

[jtbell]

I can make certain things disppear, e.g. a family-size bag of Cheetos.

 

[neyzenyelda]

I am from Turkey and an expert of Turkish or Ottoman traditional music.
I can sing Turkish or Ottoman traditional songs at professional level.
I can play most of the Turkish or Ottoman traditional musical instruments at professional level.
I still work hard on music. I am 48 but my plan is to become the best musician of Turkish or Ottoman traditional musical history.
I think I am very close to that target.

 

[arildno]

I am from Turkey and an expert of Turkish or Ottoman traditional music.
I can sing Turkish or Ottoman traditional songs at professional level.
I can play most of the Turkish or Ottoman traditional musical instruments at professional level.
I still work hard on music. I am 48 but my plan is to become the best musician of Turkish or Ottoman traditional musical history.
I think I am very close to that target.

Shame on you! That actually AMAZES me, in contrast to everything else given in this thread.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I am from Turkey and an expert of Turkish or Ottoman traditional music.
I can sing Turkish or Ottoman traditional songs at professional level.
I can play most of the Turkish or Ottoman traditional musical instruments at professional level.
I still work hard on music. I am 48 but my plan is to become the best musician of Turkish or Ottoman traditional musical history.
I think I am very close to that target.

That IS impressive.

I can eat turkey.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Oh, yeah? Well I can shower without peeing in the shower.

Alternately, I can write my name in the snow.

 

[turbo]

Alternately, I can write my name in the snow.

I'm glad that I don't have a long name...

 

[leroyjenkens]

Oh, yeah? Well I can shower without peeing in the shower.

I can't. It's automatic at this point. If I have to pee and I know I'm going to take a shower soon, I'll just hold it until I get in the tub and let loose. Why waste a flush?

 

[BobG]

Nope. And I can't juggle sticks. The flipping of them throws me off.

While I was a security guard, I used to practice twirling my nightstick in the air and catching it by its handle. For a while, I kept track of how many times the stick would spin with still being able to catch it. After a while, I got to the point where it didn't matter how high or how fast it was spinning - I could just watch and kind of feel when I should reach out and grab it and never missed. By that time, I was throwing it so high and spinning it so fast that I couldn't count the spins anymore.

I would have been a pretty good beat cop in the days that policeman actually strolled up and down the street.

Of course, it did take a lot of practice to get to that point. When I quit that job and turned in my nightstick, the woman collecting my equipment stared at the nightstick and her only comment was, "Wow! I don't think I've ever seen one of these quite so..." and just shook her head.

Now a days, I guess my most amazing skill is that I'm really good at counting on my fingers and toes.

 

[lisab]

Alternately, I can write my name in the snow.

I can do that too, but you can't read it because of all the footprints.

 

[nitsuj]

I can do that too, but you can't read it because of all the footprints.

that is funniest post I've seen

 

[jtbell]

Alternately, I can write my name in the snow.

I can do that too, but you can't read it because of all the footprints.

You must be a belly dancer.

 

[mathwonk]

@lisab; that would be yes.

 

[feathermoon]

I did diving when I was in college to try to break my fear of smashing my head off things (as an aside to using swimming as cross training for my other sports). I can manage a two and a half front flip off the 3 meter, double back off the 1 meter.

I've won a few beginner Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions.

I can do a great redneck/hick impression.

 

[Office_Shredder]

I'm a polyglut, capable of gluttony in half a dozen languages.

 

[jreelawg]

I can read my mind.

 

[turbo]

I can read my mind.

Can you help me with that? I lack that skill.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm a polyglut, capable of gluttony in half a dozen languages.

I burped in French once, but it was an accident.

 

[turbo]

My friend Bunny was able to juggle 3 balls and also 4 and 5 balls in cascades. He got pulled over by a cop one night (about 30 years ago) and the trooper panicked when Bunny reached behind the seat to retrieve some juggling balls. Then when Bunny started juggling the 3 balls (with some flourishes) the trooper let him go. Bunny could have (and did) do that basic crap while hammered. I could juggle 3 balls with no problem, but lacked the passing skills to make it look a bit more awesome with another juggler.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I burped in French once, but it was an accident.

I burped in Chinese once, but it was an orient.

 

[wuliheron]

I have no sense of smell and can eat burnt food most people won't touch. Parsley tastes like clover to me. Just another slightly bitter green. Chemistry and petroleum products make me nervous though. I could be covered with gasoline and never know it. Whenever someone shoves something under my nose for me to smell it bugs me like they're invading my personal space.

Women love it except when they cook for me or wear perfume.

 

[feathermoon]

I burped in Chinese once, but it was an orient.

I've burped in what I thought was a universal tongue, but it was merely occidental.

 

[Hobin]

I can read Vicipaedia. Sort of. Parts of it.

 

[Danger]

What, brevity?

Maybe...




I didn't actually think of this until just now. It doesn't strike me as being unusual, but some of my friends think that it is. While I'm not a good darts player, I did compete in 1st/2nd division levels of the Calgary Pub Darts Association for 10 years or so. I've had only 6 180's in my life, but what weirded my friends out is that 3 of them were left-handed and 3 were right-handed.

 

[arildno]

I can read Vicipaedia. Sort of. Parts of it.

Have you gone to Warthog's higher school of mimicry?

 

[jobyts]

I'm passionate about Physics. Lots of my friends and colleagues are amazed by that.

 

[Hobin]

I'm passionate about Physics. Lots of my friends and colleagues are amazed by that.

Truly? Then you must have some amazing friends and colleagues! (That, or I need to get out of my shell a lil' bit more.)

 

[DragonPetter]

I play drums, and most non-metal listeners are amazed at how cool double bass sounds. Not really a unique skill though.

I'm really good at finding similarities with people's appearances, especially their faces. I frequently compare people to celebrities or other people, and almost everyone agrees with me and acts amazed when they realize it. I try to keep it to myself usually though, cause some comparisons are not always flattering. I eventually lost a friend when everyone was calling him Jay Sherman from the critic and he realized I started the idea.

I can twist my wrists 360 degrees.

I can jump from second story levels, stair cases, and other big heights with a beer in my hand without spilling.

I cannot understand words in any lyrics, no matter how clear the voice is. This is more of a bad thing than a skill, but it amazes friends when I tell them I don't know the words to songs we've listened to hundreds of times.