Is there something you're really good at, but never tell new friends etc. because...

[SaladandGravy]

... it sounds so highly unlikely you think people won't believe you?

I have one talent that sounds impossible (I may share later!!) but my great-grandma was about 4 feet nothing tall, not very agile but she could juggle with just about anything you could throw at her that she could physically hold (Diddy little hands too!). We used to just shout "oi Grandma" and throw 3 things at her. it was so funny, and she loved it too.

And my ex could turn a digestive biscuit 360° back to front and widthwaya without it breaking.

(Csn you tell I'm. bored?)

I used to race motorbikes in my twenties, I was really quite good at it, even got sponsorship. I'm now in my 50s, kids, husband and slightly overweight, it sounds so unlikely, that I doubt anyone would actually believe me.

Hence why I don't normally mention it, Jvg33.

I also have a really good memory, so meet someone once, they may casually drop in their brother is off to New York and the next time I see them I could ask, how was your brother's trip? I don't recall stuff like this anymore as people actually hate it and find it creepy. Plus I am hugely unmemorable so people forget meeting me let alone disclosing family member's trips!

I have a first class degree in rocket science.

Would love to speak another language fluently. Very jealous of those who can.

I’m nearly 60, feminine and petite.

I can literally drink anyone under the table.
It’s not like I’m an alcoholic or regular heavy drinker but my ability to consume vast amounts with little affect is unbelievable.

@SilverSplitsTheBlue, of course.
English - my mother tongue.
Turkish - my husband's languages.
Various Chinese dialects- Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Cantonese
Southeast Asian languages - Tagalog, Malay (Both Bahasa Melayu, the Malay version, and Bahasa Indonesia, the Indonesian version, which are pretty similar), Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Karen (Taungthu, Bwe, Geba, Pwo and Sgaw versions - again each is spoken in a different region), Mon, Chin, Kachin, Shan (all these last few are spoken in Myanmar), Japanese, Korean.
Oh, and French. I think that's all.
My speciality is Asian tonal languages. I also write in all of the languages that have a writing system (some of the Burmese dialects don't, for example).

Good at speed reading too! And mental maths.

I have a photographic memory for faces. I have learned to pretend not to recognise people I don't know well as it freaks them out to have a stranger come up at a party and say, 'Hi we met on a train five years ago when we both helped that woman with her luggage.' No, they don't remember. Why should they?

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal

If I want to (and tbh I rarely do), I can charm pretty anyone. It's extraordinarily rare for people not to like me if I've decided to make them.

I don't mention it because it makes people simultaneously sceptical and suspicious.

I think quite a lot of people can do this though? I’d say I can. It’s not that hard if you are good at reading people, small talk and are quite funny. (I mostly can’t be arsed these days either.)

@MsMeNz

My job, I live in a run down northern small town and overweight often seen ferrying kids around. Drive an older car. But I actually have a quite a high power job at a huge company at Canary Wharf. I rarely if ever talk about heat I do as I don't think ppl around here would believe it or even understand what it is.

I have a friend like that, very "ordinary" lived in a small terraced house etc but was actually quite important in investment banking. I remember someone random asked her what her job was and she said she worked for a bank, and I just knew he thought behind the counter in NatWest.

I can whistle ridiculously loudly. I taught myself when I was 10. It's not that great a skill but not many people can do it.

@ThatsNotMyGolem

I tend to keep quiet about speaking five languages until I get to know someone. I lived abroad a lot growing up, but it just sounds boastful without that context.

Seriously impressive

Some of these talents are amazing!

gingerhills that’s me too. I’m a “super recogniser” - it took me awhile to realise that other people can’t do it too. DH is the opposite he can’t follow films when the characters even look vaguely similar.

RuthieTuthie

That's amazing! I've moved from Berks to Norfolk and I can't even understand their accent.

I am really good at parallel parking but generally nod along when people talk about how hard it is. Though I did once offer to park an old friend's car for him when he was really messing it up lol.

[quote Ruthietuthie]@SilverSplitsTheBlue, of course.
English - my mother tongue.
Turkish - my husband's languages.
Various Chinese dialects- Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Cantonese
Southeast Asian languages - Tagalog, Malay (Both Bahasa Melayu, the Malay version, and Bahasa Indonesia, the Indonesian version, which are pretty similar), Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Karen (Taungthu, Bwe, Geba, Pwo and Sgaw versions - again each is spoken in a different region), Mon, Chin, Kachin, Shan (all these last few are spoken in Myanmar), Japanese, Korean.
Oh, and French. I think that's all.
My speciality is Asian tonal languages. I also write in all of the languages that have a writing system (some of the Burmese dialects don't, for example).[/quote]
This is amazing . Wow

I know what time it is without checking the clock within about 2-3 mins. I’m extremely good at eyeballing measurements, both by weight and volume. Ie, I can measure flour by eye to within a gram or so, and I always choose exactly the perfect container for say, leftovers. I can multiply it too, say I’m making 3 smoothies, I can look at what’s in the mixer and know it’s exactly right for the three cups I’ll be filling. Also mental arithmetic.
I was very average at mathematics at school. So I don’t know how I do it.

Oh and I am extremely good at recognising voices. I know which actor is doing which voice in animations, even if they’re doing a different voice and even if they were an extra level and not very famous. If I overhear someone I know but can’t see, I know it’s them. I only have to have met them briefly.

I'm quite good at understanding a persons motives and personal agenda.

Would prefer to be good at languages though!

I am in awe of all of these talents, especially the people who have mastered multiple languages. I can play the recorder to a high standard and Irish jigs and reels are my speciality.

@ThatsNotMyGolem similar though I'm not quite as proficient same reason too (dad was army as was ex so I've lived in various countries and had to learn) I'm afraid at this point I've got lazy and out of practice I must brush up!!

1 is English so fine with that as it's first language, 3 others I used to be very good at even dialects, a further 3 are conversational only my reading and writing in them isn't great tbh

This leads into as mentioned on another thread recently i am scary good at recognising voices - famous people or my real life people but the famous one freaks people out. Recently William gaminara was on death in paradise, haven't heard his voice for years but as soon as he spoke (I wasn't looking at the screen at the time) I immediately recognised it.

I'm weirdly very very good at assessing people I meet very quickly. This is a skill I have come to believe is a result of my abusive childhood - I had to suss people and their moods out quickly to protect myself as much as possible.

There's only 1 where it would appear I have been wrong - but I'm still not convinced, have never trusted this person and never will I'm honestly going to be the least surprised person when their true colours come out and I genuinely believe it's a case of when not if. I've caught them out on minor lies plenty of times already. They portray themselves as very posh, very classy and I'm just not at all convinced

@Grasping are you a redhead or have Celtic genes? That genuinely may be why. There's a mutation that affects our ability to metabolise certain chemicals very very fast so they have little effect on us. This inc alcohol but also unfortunately painkiller and anaesthetics

My maths and spatial awareness are shit though!

Thanks would love to understand peoples motivation and agenda. Then I’d stop taking everything so personally!
I’m the person who thinks I have a new friend and goes to their house to find it’s an MLM. Every time!
Or they want me to join their religion.

I’m really really good at job interviews. Have ended up with some job offers I’m completely out of my depth with. Shame really.