[crazychester]

Special talents. Party tricks. Things you can do that not everybody on the planet is capable of. Not stuff associated with what you do for a living because then I'd crap all over the rest of you.

Which means, unfortunately, that my list is pretty unimpressive but here goes.

1. I can wiggle my ears. In my experience, not many people can do this but the fact is, it's not really all that interesting when you can. It's not like they flap or anything.

2. I can juggle. While this impresses people who can't juggle there are actually a lot of people who can juggle.

3. I can say "I have been invited to the wedding of Princess Anne" in Italian. "But anybody who speaks Italian can do that!" I hear you cry. Well yes. But try finding me another person who doesn't speak Italian who can do it. I rest my case.

4. I can tie secret removalist knots. While this might not sound all that clever, in practice, people are amazed and astounded when you can tie down anything so it just won't budge.

That's the best I can do. Actually, I've got another one but it's a bit rude so we'll skip it.

I'm sure there'll be someone out there who can suck milk up their nose and make it come out their eyes.

[psmith2.0]

PM me that rude one...I'm so curious now, I can't stand it.

I guess voices/mimicry is about as neat of a special talent as I have.

And I'm a better-than-average guitarist, and certainly able to hold my own in many genres (bluegrass, rockabilly, surf, Chet Atkins style, rock & roll, some jazz/standards, slide, fingerpicking, flat-picking, Knopfler, Setzer, George Harrison, Chuck Berry, power pop, folk, etc. Been playing since I was 12...I'm 35 now). I don't suck.



That's it, really. Can't really wiggle anything cool or unusual.

[AirSluf]

XXXXX

[Wrao]

I once cut somebody's head off with my wit

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, I saw that. Awesome!

Oh, did I mention I can levitate?






I wish...

[murbot]

I can pop by thumbs back to about 90 degrees and freak people out.

I can hold my breath for freakishly long periods of time. Like over 3 minutes.

I can do a Happy Gilmore tee shot on the golf course, and hit it long and straight 9 times out of 10.

I can totally squirt milk out of my eye.

I'm a good juggler too. I can juggle 3 apples and eat one of them down to the core while I'm doing it. I don't know, is that good? I have these juggling balls that I juggle with, then let one fall, and sort of juggle upside down, like bouncing the 3 balls off the ground in the same pattern as I do when juggling normally. I don't know, some people think that's cool. heh heh

Oh, and I can do that thing where you are laying on your back, arch it, then spring onto your feet. Like ninjas.

[thuh Freak]

i can control each of my eye brows independantly of each other. its a pretty cool thing. i also know a bunch of card tricks, but those aren't quite as popular.

[crazychester]

Ah so many great responses so little time to reply.

Originally Posted by scatesy PM me that rude one...I'm so curious now, I can't stand it.

You know, I'm sorely tempted to just because you had the balls to come out and ask. We'll see....

Originally Posted by scatesy I guess voices/mimicry is about as neat of a special talent as I have.

Yeah I do accents and mimicry. I have that affliction where I start to copy the accent and mannerisms of people I'm talking to. Sometimes I read Powerdoc's posts in a really sleazy, dirty Frenchman accent and occasionally I give Vox Barbara the Achtung! treatment.

Originally Posted by scatesy And I'm a better-than-average guitarist

Didn't know that. Colour me impressed.

Originally Posted by Airsluf I hang spoons off my head.

Ooooh I like ones like this.

Originally Posted by the bot I can pop by thumbs back to about 90 degrees and freak people out.

I am one of those people but the 3 minute holding the breath thing is remarkable. However, I am most impressed by your juggling ability. Don't know whether to believe the eating the apple one but I've seen the ball dropping one done. Wow. The standard 3 ball juggle is my limit. I am a crap juggler. However, to all you none jugglers, I highly recommend it - good for the mind, body and soul.

Originally Posted by the bot Oh, and I can do that thing where you are laying on your back, arch it, then spring onto your feet. Like ninjas.

OK I know I'm breaking my own rule 'cause this is a dance one but I can do the opposite - fall over backwards in a controlled way so I don't hurt myself.

Originally Posted by the freaky one i can control each of my eye brows independantly of each other.

I have wanted to be able to do this for so long just for the dramatic effect it creates. As an ear wiggler, I know it's just a matter of isolating the right muscles. But despite hours of practice, this formidable ability has eluded me. Sometimes I can do it spontaneously, by accident. But that's not the same as being able to do it at will.

[Windswept]

1. I'm good at fixing machines. We have had a succession of copiers at work. Two in the recent past were the size of aircraft carriers (only a 'slight' exaggeration), and were prone to constant breakdowns. In a school, these things take massive abuse and are worked to death. When they would break down, people would call for me, because I could generally take the copier apart, find/fix the problem, and put it back together again. I loved doing this. It gave me great satisfaction. Not to mention major accolades and ringing applause from my colleagues.

2. I can knock on the top of my head, with my mouth open a certain way, and make my head sound like it's hollow. I'm totally sure everyone can do this, so it's not much of a talent really.

3. I can do a great imitation of what a dust mite looks like (under a microscope). My students would die laughing when I did this, and say: do it again! do it again! (Dust mites look *really* gross and scary, by the way. Yeuch!!! )

4. I can shoot baskets really well. I can go around the key shooting from any position and never miss. Plus, when I got a cast on my foot for a hairline fracture, as soon as the cast dried, I was back out on the court, shooting. But I couldn't put any weight on my foot with the cast, so I developed the most wonderful hook shot - mainly because it was the only kind of shot I could make with all that plaster on.

5. In German, I can say: "May I have a cigarette, please" (but I don't smoke), and "The streetcar stop is there, on the corner". In Japanese: "What color is it?" And in Italian: "There are the boys".

6. I can bark like a dog and cackle like a chicken - quite realistically. Oh, and when I was 10, I could make a call exactly like a ground squirrel, so that real ground squirrels would come up out of the ground, stand on their hind legs and look around. heh

7. My last talent (*cough*) .....um....nevermind.


PS - Hey murbot. I used to be able to do that ninja thing too! That's fun, huh? Haven't tried it in awhile though.

[Luca]

I can turn my eyelids inside out using one hand on each eye. Can't manage to turn them both inside out using just one hand, though.

I can burp on command.

My tongue is so big that I can easily lick the tip of my nose. My dad can take this a step further and actually pick his nose with his tongue (if he so chooses; he'll sometimes run the tip of his tongue around the outsides of his nostrils just to gross people out).

I can make one of those stupid, sophomoric armpit fart sounds.

Yes, I learned most of these while I was in 5th-8th grade. Can't think of much else. Or anything unmentionable here either... though I would be interested to hear what, uh... chester and Carol are referring to.

[thegelding]

i can "one hand" clap...very loud...with either hand...silly thing, but it keeps the little kids entertained while i scan them...entertains the parents too...everyone leaves the ultrasound room trying to clap like that...

and i can touch my nose with my tongue...though i don't do that to entertain the kids....

g

[Moogs]

Do a dead-on Clinton impersonation (among a few others)... Once was at a rehersal dinner in Washington, and someone asked me to do the Clinton impression (he was in office then and just getting into hot water). So I started doing the Clinton thing with the mic we had... and the waiters and busboys all started peeking their heads into the private room we were in. Pretty funny.

[Kickaha]

Ooooh! I'll play!

I can balance almost anything under 20lbs on one finger. A broomstick, a chair, a dumbbell... don't ask me how, it just works. The chair is always a crowd pleaser.

I can dislocate both thumbs on command. Whoo.

Breathing fire is fun - just don't hiccup.

Carol - the head knocking thing? Got sent to the principal's office in 2nd grade for playing Yankee Doodle Dandy like that and claiming it was an example of a percussion instrument during music class. Morons.

I can vibrate my eyes. Freaks people out. It's fun.

I can wiggle my eyebrows. These puppies daaaaaaaaaance... heck, they're almost prehensile.

I can't do both at the same time, no matter how much I try.

I can put three heaping serving spoons of mashed potatoes in my mouth and still talk clearly. (I have a freakishly high upper palate.)

My freakishly high upper palate gives my singing great resonance.

I can stabilize a gyroscopic astronaut trainer in under 35 seconds, repeatedly. Most pilots are doing good if they do it under 60.

[Wrao]

Probably my most used 'talent' is that I can spin frisbees, pillows, books, DVD cases...etc. on my fingers, I can do a frisbee on any finger(not simultaneously) any direction, any hand, I can even do it upside down, I can toss it in the air and catch it again, does it between fingers, I can also roll it down my arm over my shoulder and down my other arm, but I am still trying to figure out how to incorporate that into the spinning routine.

strange that I'm so proficient with frisbee type spinning, but I'm pretty poor with basketball type spinning, which I can do, but no where near as well.

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Carol - the head knocking thing? Got sent to the principal's office in 2nd grade for playing Yankee Doodle Dandy like that and claiming it was an example of a percussion instrument during music class. Morons.

Hey Kicks. I got sent to the principal's office in second grade too - for beating up two boys on the playground. I can't remember why.

I can vibrate my eyes. Freaks people out. It's fun.

I had a student this year who could do that. I really don't understand how it's done. Yeah, it freaked 'me' out, that's for sure. It's incredible!

I can put three heaping serving spoons of mashed potatoes in my mouth and still talk clearly. (I have a freakishly high upper palate.)

Wow. This is amazing! I wish I could see you do this one.

I can stabilize a gyroscopic astronaut trainer in under 35 seconds, repeatedly. Most pilots are doing good if they do it under 60.

Your spatial awareness and balance skills are very interesting. In education, we study all the different kinds of 'intelligences'/abilities, so we can reach kids via many different pathways. Btw, can you balance the spinning basketball?

[alcimedes]

i have the uncanny ability to tell when things are going to happen before they happen.

doesn't happen with any particular regularity, but when it does, it's rock solid and i'm sure. (like the night i told Argento he was going to get pulled over by a cop that night if he drove with his headlight out, after he'd been doing it for a week). sometimes, i just know.

i can drink anyone under the table.

dunno, a number of others that have already been listed, so no point listing them again.

oh yeah, and i can move my eyes independently of eachother.

and i can do that "draw a square with one hand, cirlce with the other" perfectly.

[Bones3D]

I used to be extremely double jointed in my younger years and could twist my body up like a pretzel. I'm not quite so flexible nowadays but I can still do some pretty odd things. I can fold my hands in half so they are the same diameter as my wrists, causing the joints on the left and right sides of each hand to touch one another. (No, I don't have a police record.)

I have an unusually high pain tolerance due to years of constant exposure to it in my childhood. Coupled with the fact that several spine surgeries and a broken neck have disabled most of my pain receiving nerves in about 3/4ths of my body, these areas have now a tolerance that could rival Darkman. I can still feel pressures and temperature differences, but I don't feel pain from them when those things come in excessive amounts. In a sense, I've had to re-learn what to interpret as "pain" in place of the actual thing. I also have to be careful to monitor my health in case of an internal injury. I wouldn't feel the injury itself, just the effects of having it. It's kinda disturbing when you think about it. I'm not paralyzed, but I have come very close to it.

I suppose my only other special talent might be luck. Despite the physical issues, I've been unusually fortunate in situations I probably shouldn't have been. It's hard to say whether it's a karma thing or if it's only mere coincidence, but I've learned to just let things work themselves out whenever possible. Preemptively worrying about something you can't control seems rather pointless to me.

[LoCash]

Originally Posted by Bones3D (No, I don't have a police record.)

Clearly. You were obviously able to escape

[oldmacfan]

I love to juggle, I can do 2,3,4.

I can spin a bar tray on any of my ten fingers ( on one leg, eyes closed, or dancing and singing ) I can even switch fingers and hands with ease.

I have an acute sense of taste that makes seasoned chefs envious(note I am not a chef).

In the 80's I was an extreme knee boarder. I stopped participating in the sport after face planting the water at over 60 mph.

[crazychester]

My cup runneth over!

Originally Posted by Best Mod Evar! I can knock on the top of my head, with my mouth open a certain way, and make my head sound like it's hollow. I'm totally sure everyone can do this, so it's not much of a talent really.

I've seen this done but can't do it. Therefore, it qualifies.

But I would dearly love to see this

Originally Posted by Best Mod Evar! I can do a great imitation of what a dust mite looks like (under a microscope).

and hear these

Originally Posted by Best Mod Evar! I can bark like a dog and cackle like a chicken - quite realistically. Oh, and when I was 10, I could make a call exactly like a ground squirrel, so that real ground squirrels would come up out of the ground, stand on their hind legs and look around.

Originally Posted by Luca I can turn my eyelids inside out using one hand on each eye.

This is another one of those ones that freak me out.

Originally Posted by Luca I can burp on command.

In my experience, all males can do this. They can also all fart on command. If you can burp and fart on command simultaneously then you may have something to brag about.

Originally Posted by the g i can "one hand" clap...very loud...with either hand...

Alright, what is this? You keep going on about it so what's it all about? More to the point, what does it sound like?

Originally Posted by Moogs Do a dead-on Clinton impersonation

With or without cigar?

Oh Kickaha I knew you'd have some doozies.

Originally Posted by Kickaha I can balance almost anything under 20lbs on one finger. A broomstick, a chair, a dumbbell... don't ask me how, it just works.

Now that is amazing. That's probably my favorite of your bunch.

Originally Posted by Kickaha I can dislocate both thumbs on command.

More freaky stuff. Been there, done that. Try harder.

Originally Posted by Kickaha Breathing fire is fun - just don't hiccup.

Now you're talkin'. As in mouth full of petrol or whatever it is fire breathers use?

Originally Posted by Kickaha I can vibrate my eyes.

I'm not sure what this means although Carol has apparently seen it before. What, like people with brain damage?

Originally Posted by Kickaha I can put three heaping serving spoons of mashed potatoes in my mouth and still talk clearly. (I have a freakishly high upper palate.)

Didn't your mother ever tell you not to speak with your mouth full?

And on that note, what the heck? I can't stand the idea of scatesy sitting there all day desperately checking his PMs. Besides I don't think it's that rude. It's not like I'm telling the dead fish fetish story or anything. Besides I'm dropping it in the middle of this long reply so only those who actually read my drivvle will be rewarded. And apparently, those who search about aimlessly deserve to be rewarded (I know, go figure; I don't get it either).

I can put a condom on with my mouth. No hands! (yes on a penis - what did you all think I meant, on my head - tho' that would be a neat trick). It's actually pretty easy once you've been shown the technique and had a few practice go's on plastic bananas.

Originally Posted by Robot Probably my most used 'talent' is that I can spin frisbees, pillows, books, DVD cases...etc. on my fingers, I can do a frisbee on any finger(not simultaneously) any direction, any hand, I can even do it upside down, I can toss it in the air and catch it again, does it between fingers, I can also roll it down my arm over my shoulder and down my other arm, but I am still trying to figure out how to incorporate that into the spinning routine.

Right now that you've decided to try I'll stop ignoring you. Hey! Half the planet can do that shit with a ball. Stand proud and tall frisbee spinner.

Originally Posted by alcimedes i have the uncanny ability to tell when things are going to happen before they happen.

Ooooh that's a good one. Handy too!

Originally Posted by alcimedes i can drink anyone under the table.

I'm a little perplexed as to what happened to murbot on this score. You still have no beer! What do we need to start a collection? Raid the Bribe Carol to Let Us Win the Poll Fund maybe?

Originally Posted by Bones I used to be extremely double jointed in my younger years and could twist my body up like a pretzel. I'm not quite so flexible nowadays but I can still do some pretty odd things.

Most males have very poor flexibility so this is something of which you can be rightly proud.

Originally Posted by Bones I suppose my only other special talent might be luck.

I have this one too. While I don't care much for astrology (sorry Carol) my brother is into it big time so I've had my horoscope done. It says something like "you aren't lucky in the usual sense of the word but you have a knack for doing the right thing at the right time". Whew!

Originally Posted by oldmacfan I love to juggle, I can do 2,3,4.

Bugger!

Originally Posted by oldmacfan In the 80's I was an extreme knee boarder. I stopped participating in the sport after face planting the water at over 60 mph.

Aside from the obvious (ie. face planting), what does it mean to be an "extreme knee boarder"?

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by crazychester Right now that you've decided to try I'll stop ignoring you. Hey! Half the planet can do that shit with a ball. Stand proud and tall* frisbee spinner.

Well, I can do a bunch of basketball related tricks too, most of them involving my legs, I'm really good at juggling and stalls and stuff, comes from soccer I guess, but it's cool to do a hybrid sort of juggling with basketball moves and soccer moves.

I can juggle as well, like balls and stuff, I once juggled 3 full sized pumpkins at a halloween party. but then after a little while I dropped one and it shattered.

hmm...I can also do some gymnastics, which is kind of cool, considering *I'm 6'4. So like, Hand springs, cartwheels, round offs, hand stands, and hand stand push-ups. But those aren't really party tricks, though that doesn't stop me from doing a hand spring or hand stand from time to time. I can also walk with my legs bent outward...if that makes sense

Oh, and since Paul mentioned it earlier, I might as well too, I know tons and tons of bass player tricks, all the slap, tap double thumb, strum, harmonics, bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs, fingerstyle, finger picking, palm muting, false harmonics, super fast, super slow..etc. I got all those chops, but...eh.

g mentioned how he can clap with one hand, so can I, pretty loud too, probably has something to do with my really long boney bass player fingers.

kickaha mentioned balancing pretty much anything under a specific weight, I'm pretty good at this too, though it's not 100%

Um, I have a 3 and a half octave vocal range, 2 1/2 in my regular voice and an octave in falsetto, that's a little bit special I guess.



it's fun talking about yourself! hahaha

[Mac+]

I can suction my tongue to the roof of my mouth and make a loud "smacking-pop" sound upon release. I don't know how novel this is exactly, but quite a lot of my friends can't seem to do it and it does get attention. Most people ask to see me do a table-tennis (ping pong) impression. It was OK when I was a kid - but I'm pretty over it now. :shrugs:

[Eugene]

I can masturbate with Lava bar lather as lube.

[Luca]

Originally Posted by crazychester In my experience, all males can do this. They can also all fart on command. If you can burp and fart on command simultaneously then you may have something to brag about. ... Most males have very poor flexibility so this is something of which you can be rightly proud.

You may have to reconsider some of these stereotypes you have of men. I can't fart on command and I didn't learn how to burp until a few years ago. My mother is about as good as I am but she's been doing it for longer.

Also, I am quite flexible, especially given my build. I'm a bit overweight, and I just have a large frame anyway, so it's funny that during my high school fitness testing, I was always #1 among the guys for flexibility and near the top even among the girls, despite being near the back for most other events (i.e. running, pull-ups). I don't have extraordinary flexibility, but I'm pretty good if I do say so myself. I used to be able to touch my face to my knee, but I'm out of practice. And no, I cannot and have never been able to... uh... "reach myself down there."

Some people were mentioning some language ones. I can say, in Chinese, "Look! Look! Foreigners!" which is kind of funny.

[stevegong]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Ooooh! I'll play! I can vibrate my eyes. Freaks people out. It's fun.

Yeah, but don't do it too much. I showed the optician this special ability and he told me that it's an easy way to rip the muscles that controls eye movement.




I can sing 2 distinct notes at the same time, the notes are different and are several octaves apart.


I once watched this programme on discovery talking about bigfoot or snowmen and they said that the sound produced certainly isn't human because humans can't sing 2 notes at the same time. bullshit.

[alcimedes]

oh yeah. as far as language goes the only spanish i speak consists of
"More" and
"I need to pee so badly my teeth are floating"

[SKMDC]

i can pop gum at, like a hundred decibels, it started a bar-fight once.

but my real talent came to light on the golf course, while waiting to tee off on a par 3 (while the morons ahead were no doubt taking five minutes to line up their 3-putts) i learned that i had an uncanny knack for balancing golf clubs on my nose. i can also do your brooms, mops, baseball bats, light chairs etc.

[Luca]

I'd be interested to hear how exactly you were able to start a bar fight by popping gum

[stevegong]

Originally Posted by Luca I'd be interested to hear how exactly you were able to start a bar fight by popping gum

Maybe he was also chewing his gum while raising his upper lip, exposing his teeth.

Man, I find that so fucking annoying.

[murbot]

I honestly didn't think to put down the burping thing. I can burp on command so easily, that I just thought everyone could...

Weird.