What normal thing are you shit at?

[QueenOfOversharing]

When my brother was learning to drive, he drove better in reverse - I have no idea why, or if it's a "thing", but he was utterly shit at driving forwards! 😂 obviously he can do it now.

I can't use a curling tong, or blow dry my hair using a brush & drier. I can't coordinate my hands to do it. In my mind, I feel like I'm going to look in the mirror & look like Farah Fawcett, but every time I look like Jimmy Saville.

What normal thing do you struggle to do?

Running! Just can't get the breathing right and am crap at it.
(Thankfully I can polish of a whole packet of jaffacakes in 3mins so that makes up for the disappointment somewhat.)

Ironing. DP wouldn’t let me anywhere near his work shirts, even if I offered to iron them. Which I don’t, obv.

Making pastry. My hands are too hot, apparently. It’s a good job supermarkets sell the stuff ready made.

Reverse parking and cooking rice

Baking and other dessert type stuff. I can cook complicated things but the only things I can bake are banana bread and Mumsnet's 3 ingredient brownies.

Gave up learning to drive!

I am terrible at:
Making perfectly "dippy" boiled eggs - either too hard or too snotty
plaiting my own hair (unless I do it in a side plait, which looks naff on me)
I can't cook anything more than basic foods (stew, cottage pie etc)
Running (Can't regulate my breathing)

@samlh

When you are boiling your eggs occasionally take one out with a spoon, if it starts to dry off straight away it is perfect for dipping.

Reversing on single track roads. I always end up in the gutter/hedge. On both sides. I just cannot reverse in a straight line.

I am, however, fantastic at parallel parking and can squeeze into spaces that defy logic. A much better skill to have!

I'm dyspraxic and dyslexic, so amongst the day-to-day things I can't do:

• can't open most shower gel/handwash bottles.
• can't pay a bill online or by phone, or in the bank unless they help.
• can't write legibly enough for DD's nursery.
• can't mend DD's toys/solve puzzles in 3D.
• can't use keys I'm not familiar with
• can't follow instructions I'm not familiar with.

I really notice how often DD is able to step up. She is not yet 3, and she already know how to help me plug my laptop cable in, or how to find the right programme on the washing machine. But I am very conscious of the number of times I have to say 'this is something only your other mummy can do,' because I can't do it.

I will say - I think this thread is a bit defeatist, and I don't want to contribute to that. So:

When DD was much littler, and pre-verbal, I needed her to help me with a tin opener. She couldn't answer, and I couldn't help, but between us we managed it. That is still one of many memories that do cheer me up!

When DD was very tiny and not walking (she was 7-8 months) I had surgery and couldn't lift her. She still managed to clamber into her pushchair (which meant I managed to help her) over several days when I couldn't avoid working from the office with her there.

Making friends with women, I just can't do it
Housework, it gets done but not very efficiently and there's always a bit I missed
Ironing, but I think I've never owned a good iron,
Not the best cook, but no one has been poisoned yet or gone hungry. But my kids always ask me for sandwiches

@sar302 I can't either. Apparently it's something called Aphantasia

Cooking, sewing basically any housework apart from vacuuming.

ironing

Using mobile phones. Discovered features on my phone this week that I haven't noticed for 2 years

I’m shit at returning things if I hve to post them, and faff about with labels. My brain can’t work it out. I have a lot of stuff...

Hosting people in my house. Would love to be good at it but always feel like I'm failing miserably for some intangible reason

@sashh I’m going to try that in the morning! Thank you :)

Sewing, DIY

@samlh

You might need to try different amounts of 'dry', I like mine with a dry patch of about a 5p piece. If it's a little runny put the top of the egg back on and it will continue to cook.

The only way I get boiled eggs right is with this. I put it in the pan with the eggs, in cold water, and then bring to the boil.
www.lakeland.co.uk/3158/Egg-Perfect-Colour-Changing-Boiled-Egg-Timer-

@Ivebeentohellanditscalledikea

YES.

Baking cakes - I can cook pretty much anything savoury but cakes always turn out a disaster.

Also not great at cleaning, the place never looks much better no matter how much elbow grease I give it. My cleaner on the other hand can make it look fab in a couple of hours, so I know it's me that's the problem not the house!

Any kind of beauty stuff (hair etc. )
Nails
Crafty things
Numbers / maths
Looking pristine ( can't do it)
Cooking
Reverse parking into spaces
Life in general !

Hair and make-up. Unfortunately I was a teen in the 80s so lots of styling/heavy make-up etc was in fashion. It was not good.

In the 90s I decided that short hair was the way to go- everyone said it was much easier. Unfortunately I just ended up with some sticking up at odd angles and some slicked to my head- like a small boy who has run off half may through having his hair brushed.

The invention of decent straighteners has helped me look slightly better and middleage has helped me care much less