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What Grown Up Thing Can You Not Do Despite Being A Grown Up?

93 replies

curlycat · 02/02/2019 13:24

Revamping the living room. Want to buy new curtains but no matter how often someone explains it to me I cannot get my head round how to measure my window to buy the correct size.
I work in Finance - why can I not get my head round these numbers?
What Grown Up stuff can you not do?

OP posts:
ILoveMaxiBondi · 02/02/2019 16:25

Cook.

I live on jars, tins, freezer food and ready prepared meals from supermarket. Food just isn't my thing.

BearSoFair · 02/02/2019 16:31

Drive.
Read a map on my phone. Although weirdly I only struggle with it on my phone, I'm ok with paper maps!

TeacupDrama · 02/02/2019 16:36

can't ride a bicycle or sing

TopBitchoftheWitches · 02/02/2019 16:41

Those who can't drive, what is the problem? Maybe we can help?

treaclesoda · 02/02/2019 16:47

I can't open a childproof medicine bottle. If the kids need Calpol, ironically I have to get one of them to open it if my husband isn't at home. Hmm

SagelyNodding · 02/02/2019 16:53

Plan and use my time efficiently... I'm a shocking procrastinator and only seem to get things done at the last minute!

FrenchyQ · 02/02/2019 16:58

Apply makeup...i can just about do mascara but anything else is a mystery.
Style my hair
Wallpaper...luckily DH is very good at it
Keep my house clean for longer than half a day
Iron properly

Swim would have been on this list but I decided last summer to take lessons and I'm actually not half bad (still not amazing but getting there!)

RevolvingBananaHaiku · 02/02/2019 17:03

Can't cook, put on lipstick or walk in heels.

I'd never be able to infiltrate the Stepford Wives.

DorothyZbornak · 02/02/2019 17:04

I CAN cook, but I hate it. Just seems so pointless putting so much effort into something that's gone in about 5 minutes.

Graphista · 02/02/2019 17:11

Receipts - envelope in a drawer?

Thegirlonthelanding - some medical conditions make swimming hard to master. My dd has eds and she struggled. Apparently people with eds have more dense (heavier) bone and struggle to control their limbs for the strokes. Dyspraxic people struggle with the co-ordination to move in the water.

I cannot do DIY to save my life beyond basics, spatial awareness is shit, so buying furniture without needing to measure to know not only if it will fit in the room but if it will get through the door!! Been here over a year - still no curtains in living room or my room, dd has a blind in her room but only cos previous tenants left it! I too have NO idea despite several people explaining, how to measure for not only the curtains but the rails too.

Cannot do eyeliner where it looks the same on both eyes! They look fine individually but one will be thick and the other thin! Dd laughs as she can do all that contouring malarkey and has even done friends make up for big birthdays, even when they're being bridesmaids etc

"Understand politics. No matter how much I try I just can’t get to grips" to be fair I'd say most of our politicians currently are even more clueless!

FairyLightBlanket45 · 02/02/2019 17:14

Any DIY involving a drill

Any hair style that’s not a pony tail!

Still never remember to take Bags for Life into the supermarket - that’s an adult thing in my view!

Still can’t quite grasp that I am sometimes the responsible adult!

Thisnamechanger · 02/02/2019 17:16

Drive.

I also don't understand how credit cards or probability works.

Make Xmas cake.

GertrudeWilloughby · 02/02/2019 17:19

I can't drive, swim or ride a bike.

I'm not keen on making phone calls especially to people I know. I'll happily phone a company to enquire about something, no problem, but a friend? Nope. Just can't do it. I'll text or email instead, or have confirmed the details when I saw them last.

JustMarriedAndLovingIt · 02/02/2019 18:05

Drive, although I have a medical condition 😥
I am unable to put on lipstick without looking like an idiot. Am also not very good with foundation around my nose. Rest of the face is fine, nose, definitely not.

RedHatsDoNotSuitMe · 02/02/2019 18:15

I'm shit at ALL Things Adult, although (unusally for this thread) I can drive, ride a bike, walk (or drive or cycle) in heels and I'm a good swimmer.

But I'm rubbish at everything else.

And Pretending to like people is my favourite comment on this thread!

wanderings · 02/02/2019 18:54

Be a good loser. I love playing netball, but if my team is losing badly, or if the other team is getting away with murder, I do a lot of muttering to myself, and only give half-hearted handshakes at the end of the game. However I don't argue with the umpire, or high-five my team when we're winning!

Wait patiently for anything. I might sit still and look calm, but I inwardly rage during health and safety briefings I've heard before, dull speeches, cinema adverts, waiting for wafflers to get to the point, predictable stories, red lights, traffic jams, queues... especially if I can't play on my phone. I go to a lot of trouble to avoid waiting, such as shopping or travelling at less busy times (but I never queue jump). Yes, I know, I'm a textbook product of the screen culture.

Go down a waterslide or similar just once. I have to do it again and again, like a kid on a playground slide who doesn't want to go home!

hopingforhappiness · 02/02/2019 19:01

Cook fluffy rice.
Reverse the car in a straight line.

Introvertedmum · 02/02/2019 19:40

Follow the weather forecast. I try to listen and I zone out. I think it’s because my df used to turn the radio and tv up to roof-rattling volume to hear the forecast when I was a child and as soon as I hear words like “pressure front” or “north by north east” I automatically blank out as a psychological defense mechanism. It’s really frustrating because I always have to look it up on an app even if I’ve just seen the news.

DustyMcDustbuster · 02/02/2019 19:54

Could we start swapping tips for things we can do? I’m great with a flat pack; safe, long-time driver; good with rice; competent with dog training; get asked “what branch of medicine” I’m in, due to extent of DS medical interventions.

Who wants to help me with mine, as despises? 😂

DustyMcDustbuster · 02/02/2019 19:54

SWAPSIES not despises!

WhatNow40 · 02/02/2019 19:59

Check tyre pressure. Blush

PatricksRum · 02/02/2019 20:14

Cut up my food.

KitKat1985 · 02/02/2019 20:17

Reverse park.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 02/02/2019 20:20

DIY
Any form of filing or paperwork. Filling in forms makes my eyes spin.
Dealing with silly arguments between my children in a calm and sensible manner. I always want to join in as it looks like fun.

I can drive and walk in heels though. I'm not totally useless, just mostly.

RedHatsDoNotSuitMe · 02/02/2019 20:56

Dusty I'd love to have MNers come and live my life for me but better. Where can I sign up? I'll drive all the PPs on this thread who need taxi-ing if they'll help me be a decent adult!