I was reading the New Yorker last night. When I'm catching up, guiltily, I'm never sure if I should start oldest to newest, newest to oldest, or head for the most compelling cover.
In any case.
It turns out Barack Obama, when asked to name a hidden talent characterized himself as “a pretty good poker player.” The article went on to talk about poker playing presidents, poker lingo in politics, and so on. An interesting little read.
But what it made me think was, what a compelling thing to ask! Name a hidden talent!
So I am offering up a hidden talent, and asking for one of yours in return.
One you'd never guess by looking at me is that I can speak Spanish with an Indian accent. As a child in Delhi I had an Indian acccent, according to my parents. And sometimes I will pull it out, just for fun. I cannot remember what prompted me to do it while speaking Spanish, but who knows how any of these things start?
Also, I can wiggle my ears.
OK, that's two. One of my not-hidden talents is that I can't do math. And am not so great at consistency. Anyway.
Neither of these things will ever make me any money, but they're good party tricks.
Hidden talents? EVERYONE has something they can do that you wouldn't guess just by looking at them. Maybe you can recite the alphabet backwards, or you can name all the US Presidents, or you can make a gourmet meal from scratch. None of which I can do to save my life.
Please indulge me. I'd love to know.
Also, along the same lines, check out some of the interesting responses Nicole has generated with her complete my sentence game. Sucked me in kinda like PostSecret sucks me in every Sunday.
i can turn my elbow around nearly 360 degrees. Not so much a talent as somewhat disgusting, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteWow. I'd say that falls under talent. I'm going to assume that means you're very flexible? Which I am not but would love to be.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought, Oh man, I don't have any.
ReplyDeleteThen...I remembered...I can tell you the make and model of 90% of cars in daylight.About 80% at night just from their headlights. I can usually give a good estimated time frame too. Not the exact year, but a range.
I can't tell you how cars work, but I can tell you what kind are cute!
EVERYONE has hidden talents - something you can do that people wouldn't guess about you. In fact, I'm going to add this to my post above. Right now.
ReplyDeleteI think that's an excellent one and shows you're very observant. I often don't recognize cars in broad daylight - if I am looking for my car and see a Honda parked on the same street I parked on, I assume it's mine.
I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue.
ReplyDeleteThis is a hard question...as I keep sinking into the x-rated talents when I think of them.
ReplyDeleteBut working in a large city filled with more tourists that denizens, I've become quite good at weaving in and out of pedestrian traffic. In fact, I'm good at doing it while driving, too, but that's another talent altogether ;-)
I can roll my tongue into three loops.
ReplyDeleteI can drink a beer in under a second. I haven't used this skill since grad school, but it's always a crowd pleaser with the drinking set.
ReplyDeleteI can make my breasts jump, tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue and put my ankles behind my neck.....none of which help me with insurance sales. perhaps I am in the wrong line of work?
ReplyDeleteI can find contact lenses that pop out of people's eyes. Even though I find contact lenses completely disgusting.
ReplyDeleteWell now I'm just plain blushing. Because if I can suck the lovely Lisa in, I must be doing something right :)
ReplyDeleteHmm, hidden talents. I am really good at gargling songs with water in my mouth, like the ABCs etc. I can definitely make (many) gourmet meals from scratch (although if you know me, this isn't "hidden" at all). Let's see, I know a lot of American Sign Language, oh and I'm freakishly good at research stuff on the internet (no? too weird? haha)
Hidden: I am synesthetic in color and shape, which for some reason gives me near perfect medium and long-term recall but my short-term memory is average at best.
ReplyDeleteOvert: Barack Obama would not stand a chance against me heads-up at any form of poker.
I am a really, really good knitter. Like, sweaters with intricate cables and funky stitches and crazy patterns and stuff. I've even made up patterns when I couldn't find one I liked.
ReplyDeleteDCup - Cannot begin to do that. Now, that's a talent many would appreciate, I'd think.
ReplyDeleteSpartacus - That's a fantastic skill to have in DC. I'd like to be better at it, as I get very irritated with people In. My. Way.
Valerie - I am trying and I definitely can't do that.
AdeF - That is definitely a much-appreciated talent in school.
DD'sD - Ha ha! You are definitely in the wrong line of work - not only because of your other talents, but most importantly because it bores you.
Suniverse - You must have really, really good eyesight!
Nicole - Aw, shucks! The gargling thing makes me giggle. As for gourmet meals - not surprising for you, but super enviable!
KN - I am jealous. Synesthesia is sooo cool.
Wendy - That's such a great talent! Zeke is going to have the cutest clothes!
I am incredible at foosball, and I can place kick a soccer ball within a foot and a half of wherever you want it, within a 75 yard radius.
ReplyDeleteNothing worth anything, but it's fun...
hmmm... lets see.
ReplyDelete... that I grew up vegetarian.
there are some others, but I don't think they're for the Internets to hear.
I can balance a pint of lager on my bosom...standing or seated.
ReplyDeleteThere are photos.
I can make really good crepes and drink practically my body weight in Bud Light.
ReplyDeleteThat's all I could come up with, and I thought about it all day.
I am apparently really really good at impersonating people. It's something I do rather unconsciously when I'm telling a story or describing what someone has said to me, I just sort of affect their mannerisms and ways of speaking. But it often leaves my friends with mouths agape.
ReplyDeleteLis- I can: do any shot without making a face; color match at a Guiness Book-worthy level, and do fantastic cartoon voices (okay, Shmoo, Baby Plas, and Glomer were all the same voice. But I can do it PERFECTLY.) Oh, and I can often make you snarf whatever it is you're drinking. And, I can sniff out and pounce on straight boys 12 years my junior whilst singing karaoke at a lesbian bar in Rehoboth. Who am I? xxoo
ReplyDeleteSpanish with an Indian accent?! That IS talent!
ReplyDeleteI can juggle, both in the air and against the ground with bouncy balls (no sexual innuendo intended, LOL!). OH! And I can also stick a hoop earring through my septum (from my punk days when it was pierced) and really freak out the stuffy people at a black tie affair.
I am a bit of a pool shark. I worked in a pool hall my senior year of high school and got in about 2-3 hours of practice each day.
ReplyDeleteI can also touch my nose with my tongue. I've only met one other that can do this.
Doh... I think I responded to Nicole's question here. Whoops.
ReplyDeleteMy hidden talent... hmm... I'm not sure I've got a hidden talent. All my talents that I can think of aren't really hidden.
Oooh, reading these is so much fun. Thank you so much for playing!
ReplyDeleteTSS - That's cool. And worth a lot in intramural sports!
VVK - Maintaining a veg diet is a talent - particularly in the US!
FK - Holy cow! That's a fun talent. Plus I bet you could win some bar money with that.
TMM - Both of those are fantastic. I loooove crepes, and the ability to drink one's weight in beer, well it speaks for itself. :)
Amanda - I love that, I absolutely love that. I assume you are probably good with languages as well.
Anon - I happen to know that ALL of those are true and extraordinary and completely effing hilarious. Except the color matching, which is just plain enviable. Yippeee! A visit from Macedonia!
Almost - Ohh, that is fun! The juggling, I mean. I have tried and tried but lack the hand-eye coordination. The septum thing makes me squirm a little, but I'd LOVE to see pics from your punk days!!!
Amisare - The pool shark thing is defnitely something that you can make money on! Tongue to nose, not so much with the money, but still impressive.
VVK - Betcha if I dig you have a plethora.
Oh boo! I'm late, but I can sing and touch my tongue to my nose (I have a Gene Simmons tongue)
ReplyDelete