Basic skills you never learned?

Jack · October 20, 2011, 12:25:01 PM

Any basic type things you never learned how to do? For instance I never learned my times tables. Never learned how to whistle by sticking two fingers in my mouth.

How 'bout you?

Ed, Ego and Superego · October 20, 2011, 12:29:04 PM

1) the two fingered whistle is way beyond me. I can't even figure out the mechanism.
2) how to tie a tie. I wear one maybe once a year and never remember.
3) How to cook rice. 1:3 times it fails.

akiratubo · October 20, 2011, 01:02:42 PM

I can't whistle. At all. I've never even been able to figure out how it's supposed to work.

I can't spit, can't even build up enough saliva to spit.

I can't climb. No, you don't understand, I can't climb. I have never seen anyone worse than me at climbing. I can climb stairs and (if I'm lucky) ladders and that's about it. If I come upon an obstacle that I can't step over or go around, my progress is thwarted. My friends, even the ones as fat as me, would effortlessly climb rocks, fences, trees, and stuff while I simply couldn't. It made running around in the woods not much fun.

Psycho Circus · October 20, 2011, 01:20:52 PM

I can't; whistle, skip, swim well or do math.

ER · October 20, 2011, 02:44:15 PM

I never learned to be serious at solemn occasions. Even when I try, I mean really try, I get this almost manic need to start laughing, and when I start it gets crazy. That's happened at religious services, a funeral, a wedding, school graduation, when I was meeting a Senator, and while being questioned for jury duty. It's probably some sort of madness!

claws · October 20, 2011, 03:22:48 PM

I can't burp on command. God knows I've tried as a kid countless times because all my friends could burp on command.

Psycho Circus · October 20, 2011, 03:23:33 PM

Quote from: ER on October 20, 2011, 02:44:15 PM
I never learned to be serious at solemn occasions. Even when I try, I mean really try, I get this almost manic need to start laughing, and when I start it gets crazy. That's happened at religious services, a funeral, a wedding, school graduation, when I was meeting a Senator, and while being questioned for jury duty. It's probably some sort of madness!

I do that as well! Whenever anybody tells me someone has died, I just burst out laughing.

Flick James · October 20, 2011, 03:39:54 PM

I can't whistle with my finger either! I wish I could. It's one of those skills that I know relies on basic physiological principles, yet I just can't figure it out. It's one of those skill I admire on a weird, deep level. I would love to be able to belt out a loud, attention-getting whistle. That's something that can come in handy in some situations, you know.

Silverlady · October 20, 2011, 05:08:58 PM

I can't whistle either. isn't strange that so many of us are whistling impaired?

I also can't shuffle a deck of cards for the life of me!

Mr. DS · October 20, 2011, 05:17:32 PM

The whole two finger whistle is a mystery to me too. I respect those who can do it actually.

Lets see...for me...

I'm mechanically challenged, I have trouble changing a tire.

Writing neatly...matter of fact I find writing to be one of the most annoying things in the world.

ghouck · October 20, 2011, 05:21:46 PM

I can't jump (on foot) or ride a wheelie on a bike or quad. My vertical jump is about a foot, I just don't have the body mechanics for it.

Quote from: akiratubo on October 20, 2011, 01:02:42 PM
I can't climb. No, you don't understand, I can't climb. I have never seen anyone worse than me at climbing. I can climb stairs and (if I'm lucky) ladders and that's about it. If I come upon an obstacle that I can't step over or go around, my progress is thwarted. My friends, even the ones as fat as me, would effortlessly climb rocks, fences, trees, and stuff while I simply couldn't. It made running around in the woods not much fun.

Not to derail the thread, but I have an uncle that recently retired after 40+ years of building and running his own business from the ground up. It grew into a very successful plastics manufacturing business that had several hundred employees and several shops. He's a workaholic and his off time was spent running a christmas tree farm he also owned (and still does). Anyway, he's now in his 70's and has picked up a new hobby: Tree climbing.

indianasmith · October 20, 2011, 05:46:52 PM

I can't balance a checkbook! I've watched my wife do it many a time, and it seems like I should be able to, but I've never once managed it.

Leah · October 20, 2011, 09:24:10 PM

I can't whistle at all, nor can I snap, nor can I shuffle a deck o' cards, nor I can drive a stick.

bob · October 20, 2011, 09:33:04 PM

balancing my check book and saviings book without using a calculator or a bank statement is next to impossible for me

also my handwriting is damn near illegible if that counts

Derf · October 20, 2011, 09:38:05 PM

Quote from: claws on October 20, 2011, 03:22:48 PM
I can't burp on command. God knows I've tried as a kid countless times because all my friends could burp on command.

I can't burp on purpose, either. If I really need to burp, I generally get a tickle at the back of my throat that sets off a coughing fit, at the end of which I'll belch and be fine. I also can't whistle with my fingers in my mouth, though I can whistle quite well the normal way. I never learned how to have a spontaneous casual conversation (small talk). If someone asks me something, I can answer well, and if a topic comes up that I don't find ridiculously stupid, I do okay, but when people try to engage me in idle chatter, I either say something totally idiotic (or don't say anything at all) or else I make a snarky comment that is only amusing to myself. I'm getting better, but I still hate it.