Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Can everybody else do this? (Thread about random skills you have)

74 replies

DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 22:47

So, I'm not sure if this even counts as a random skill or if it's something loads of people do.
If I decide to have a nap or go to sleep for the night, I can wake up at exactly the time that I plan to...without any sort of alarm.

So today, being Sunday, decided on a quick afternoon nap from 1.10-1.25 I decided. Closed my eyes, slept instantly and woke up at exactly 1.25.

Have tested it many times and as long as I clearly tell my brain when to sleep and when to wake up, it will.

Weird or completely unspectacular? 🤷🏽‍♀️

What about you, do you have any random skills or talents?

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 07/05/2023 22:51

Your random skill is very impressive. Mine isn't useful at all. I can watch a movie, hear the score, and know they also composed the score to "X" movie that I saw years ago. So far I've never been wrong but there's no point to it, obviously.

Annoyingwurringnoise · 07/05/2023 22:54

I’m impressed you can get to sleep when you want to, I certainly can’t, let alone wake up when intended. If I know I’ve got to be up for a certain time I can’t even get to flipping sleep.

not sure what random skills I’ve got, but I’m a rather good guitar player.

TomatoSandwiches · 07/05/2023 22:54

I can wiggle my ears.....

ArbitraryHaddock · 07/05/2023 22:54

I can do this, too, OP I suspect it’s one of those things that people can do but not everyone has tried. I also know to within about 10 minutes what time it is when I wake in the night.

SwanUppmanship · 07/05/2023 22:55

I'm really good at name that tune.
I can walk up two flights of stairs without getting out of breath.

Penguin34 · 07/05/2023 22:56

I'd give anything for your skill! I've never been able to nap, let alone go to sleep and wake when I want!

Original poster
DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 22:58

Aquamarine1029 · 07/05/2023 22:51

Your random skill is very impressive. Mine isn't useful at all. I can watch a movie, hear the score, and know they also composed the score to "X" movie that I saw years ago. So far I've never been wrong but there's no point to it, obviously.

There must be a quiz show out there with your name on it though, that sounds impressive.

OP posts:
WhatWeDoInTheShadow · 07/05/2023 22:59

I can't do it to the minute, but yes, I can do similar to you op!

GhostBridezilla · 07/05/2023 22:59

I can do this too! I can also tell what time it is just by ‘listening’ to the night. So weird.
I will always wake up 5 minutes before my alarm as long as I’m well rested. If I’m tired it doesn’t work so well.

Original poster
DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 23:00

SwanUppmanship · 07/05/2023 22:55

I'm really good at name that tune.
I can walk up two flights of stairs without getting out of breath.

Oh I saw a documentary about a really posh school "knickerbockers in Knightsbridge" or something. He held the interviews in a top floor office and if they were out of breath they get sent straight home.
You'd be able to get a job there 😆

OP posts:
KnottyKnitting · 07/05/2023 23:00

TomatoSandwiches · 07/05/2023 22:54

I can wiggle my ears.....

Me too!

Original poster
DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 23:02

WhatWeDoInTheShadow · 07/05/2023 22:59

I can't do it to the minute, but yes, I can do similar to you op!

Glad I'm not alone and @GhostBridezilla I love the idea of listening to the night.
The human brain is fascinating.

OP posts:
dodofofo · 07/05/2023 23:09

I can totally trip over without even taking a step. It's a particular skill of mine Blush

WhatWeDoInTheShadow · 07/05/2023 23:10

I can choke on anything - even water. It's very cool of me and looks v suave in restaurants

TheodoreMortlock · 07/05/2023 23:11

I have a photographic memory. I felt like I was cheating on my A levels as I could picture my essay plans as if I had them in front of me.

Unfortunately it's a very transient skill, I can only retain images like that for the short term.

tailinthejam · 07/05/2023 23:11

I can read upside-down. The book I mean, not me.

Assignedtoworryyourmother · 07/05/2023 23:12

I can do that, though a bit inconsistently. I can however decide what to dream and then dream it. For example: decide on a packing list for a holiday - wake up, all organised in my head.

Original poster
DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 23:13

dodofofo · 07/05/2023 23:09

I can totally trip over without even taking a step. It's a particular skill of mine Blush

😆 me and Ds both have this, we've been known to randomly keel over with very little logical explanation. I once even managed to fall out of an armchair!!
Ds is mortified by our shared "skill"

OP posts:
Original poster
DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 23:13

WhatWeDoInTheShadow · 07/05/2023 23:10

I can choke on anything - even water. It's very cool of me and looks v suave in restaurants

😆😆😆

OP posts:
Original poster
DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 23:14

TheodoreMortlock · 07/05/2023 23:11

I have a photographic memory. I felt like I was cheating on my A levels as I could picture my essay plans as if I had them in front of me.

Unfortunately it's a very transient skill, I can only retain images like that for the short term.

Even so, that sounds like a brilliantly useful skill to have! Has it helped you in your career?

OP posts:
Kyse · 07/05/2023 23:16

I can read really fast. A chick lit type paperback takes about 45 mins
It's also a frustrating skill

Davros · 07/05/2023 23:16

James Bond can wake up at the time he has decided like some of you.
I can raise each eyebrow separately.

TheodoreMortlock · 07/05/2023 23:23

DrHousecuredme · 07/05/2023 23:14

Even so, that sounds like a brilliantly useful skill to have! Has it helped you in your career?

Show quote history

Enormously. I also read very fast like @Kyse and reading fast and retaining information for the short term are the entirety of my workplace skills. I'm terrible at management, struggle with admin, and often awkward with people, but give me a vast document at 9am and by lunchtime I can summarise it and give you the really important bits word for word.

I'll also point out the spelling errors, see "often awkward with people" Blush

WarningToTheCurious · 07/05/2023 23:30

TheodoreMortlock · 07/05/2023 23:11

I have a photographic memory. I felt like I was cheating on my A levels as I could picture my essay plans as if I had them in front of me.

Unfortunately it's a very transient skill, I can only retain images like that for the short term.

I used to be able to do this too - visualise the words / numbers / diagrams on my revision notes. Agree that it is a transient skill - as soon as the exam was over it was gone.

But my years of secretly listening to Tommy Boyd on LBC late night radio has stood in me in good stead for pub quizzes for decades.

ThunderSocks · 07/05/2023 23:36

I can find almost any object in my house. I get a picture in my head and/or have a sort of 'sense' of where something is. Some specific tiny toy one of the dcs was playing with 3 days ago? Top drawer, in the pencil case. Branston pickle? Middle shelf, to the left, behind the bananas. Missing library book? Down the back of the radiator in the hallway...

I also know the expiry date of almost every item in my fridge. Both of these skills are very handy, but not the most exciting superpowers!