Specialization is for insects.

[ewt]

[Poll #890021]

Comments

[battlekitty.livejournal.com]

I can also tell you roughly which way south is by the stars (but said stars aren't visible in this hemisphere so I didn't tick it.)

I also put down a few technicalities. And there's a few I might actually be able to do, but I've never tried.

It would also appear that I'm the only one so far who can't wire a plug. They don't like you doing that in Australia...!

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

I didn't know how to wire a plug until I came to the UK and had to teach 9-year-old Cub Scouts how to do it. In Canada my response to that would be to ask my Dad, who would teach me, or to look it up online - neither of which count as 'knowing how'.

[hennes.livejournal.com]

There are several things which I probably can do, but which I never did (e.g. make cheese fondue or wax a leg). I did not tick those.

[karen2205]

Some of these things I haven't done for years, but I think I could still do them, even if not as well as I'd be able to them with a bit of practice.

;-)

[vampwillow]

I didn't tick a couple which I used to be able to do but such a long time ago it probably doesn't now count, similarly I didn't tick some I'd consider I will have no problem doing should the need arise, but haven't tried yet.

cf. my info page ;-P

[arkady.livejournal.com]

There are a few things I didn't tick (such as driving a car) because whilst I know the theory of how to do it, I haven't actually tried although I feel confident I could. I also haven't ticked things that I can do but am absolutely crap at (such as ice skating).

[arkady.livejournal.com]

I am also highly amused that thus far I am the only person to state they can perform exorcisms. ;-)

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

But none of us are particularly surprised :)

[reddragdiva]

I can uninstall Windows 98, which is close.

[martling.livejournal.com]

I interpreted this as "tick the ones you've done before and think you still can". (I can't play any instruments to a meaningful level anymore; there are umpteen things on the list I reckon I could figure out if I had to, but haven't actually done).

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

What a thought-provoking poll! I am glad to see you have included tying a shoelace twice, after all it's not much good if you can only do one.

There are probably more things than that I can do if I'm taught them, but I didn't tick them in case you're finding out things you can ask people to do.

[yady.livejournal.com]

I can change a tyre on a bike, but I assumed you meant on a car. I can also mend a bicycle tyre with a hole in it. And I can crochet, sew things by hand if they aren't too big to outlast my attention span (but not, currently, sew by machine), and lots of other things I can't really think of right now. And I can bargain with people to do stuff I can't or don't like to do in exchange for cooking for them or doing something else I can do ;)

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, that probably is on cars. Oh, well.

[weatherpixie.livejournal.com]

I wonder if 'make soap' is the solution to your 'stuff makes me itch' complaint...

[redshira.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind, I'll be using this as a list of things-to-learn (fibro, CMP & autism allowing).

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

Of course I don't mind! :)

[elmyra.livejournal.com]

Some of the questions I interpreted as "I can do x though not terribly well" (e.g. mend a seam), "I have done this in the past and with some poking can probably figure out how to do it again (uninstall Windows 98, thread a sewing machine), or "I think I can figure out how to do this without too much hassle" (open a champagne bottle). The special case of extracting teeth only applies to mild teeth already about to fall out, ideally my own.

[elmyra.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, then there's writing sonnets. I've written sestinas, which are hideously more structured than sonnets. That makes them both easier and harder to write, but I reckon I could make a passable attempt at a sonnet.

And while I strictly speaking can recycle my tins, I don't currently do so. Really must poke council for some green bags, as the local recycling centre only takes glass and paper.

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

I'm glad there's no gauge of how well or badly one actually carries out the task in question, though stuff I've never even tried I didn't tick (suspect dressing a toddler is more challenging than it sounds, for starters). Cool list :)

[561.livejournal.com]

Nice poll. To qualify:

Sign language: I am only half way through level 2 BSL but I can communicate more in it than in any than French or German and a lot more than most people I know.
Braille: I only read grade 1, which is easy, not grade 2 which is hard.
Die gallantly: I would like to think so only I haven't actually ever done so before so I don't really have any evidence.

Some things I haven't tried to do (or am not sure if I have, like uninstall windows 98, for instance) so I left them on the basis that most things are harder than they sound. :)

[deborah_c]

I'm being charitable with some of these: I've included things that I could do last time I tried (like "conn a ship" or "churn butter", although in the second case, the last time I tried I was five, I think). I've also included things I'm terribly bad at but technically can do ("throw a frisbee" -- I *can*, but it won't necessarily go within 90 degrees of where I intended), and things I'd really rather not do ("change a diaper" -- I was sick every single time I changed one of my children's (not just wet) nappies, for five years. Shudder). On the other hand, I've also been inconsistent. I have no idea whether I can french kiss any more, having had no cause to find out for several years, so didn't tick it.

One of those 'yes I can... but' answers

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

Designing a house, building a wall: how many people would design and build the foundations, too? Quite apart from the science of laying levels, there's testing the soil and knowing what sort of foundations (footings? a raft? piling?) to build - and how deep they need to be for a given superstructure. There's ways of getting around being a crap bricklayer but you can't get around not knowing how often and how strongly you need to butress the wall.

Focusing a microscope: Does this include setting up the condenser? I bet it does, for some of the people on your flist (including at least one person who can use an electron microscope).

Navigate by the stars: I can just about find North in the Northern hemisphere - does that count?

Build a fire: I've done the Boy Scout's 'build a fire starting with three matches' (using only two. I probably still have the third one, somewhere). It ain't the same as starting from stone tools in a forest on a rainy day... If you're interested in trying that, the Peat Moors Centre (http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/cultureheritage/heritage/pmc/index.cfm) does the occasional fire-building course, in between the flint-knapping, coracle-making and cast-your-own-bronze-axehead sessions.

[dizze.livejournal.com]

forage an entire meal

It should be noted that i consider going to Sainsburys foraging.

[redbird]

Some of mine were "I think I still can" (I haven't thrown a pot since I was in high school) or "But it might not be very good" (sonnet): there seems a meaningful distinction between those and things I've never been able to do.

[mstevens.livejournal.com]

Have you been reading Heinlein again?

[darcydodo]

Some of these are things I've been able to do in the past, but I have no idea if I'd still be able to do them (e.g., rewire a plug).

Also, you have tie a bowtie, but not tie a necktie.

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

I'm certain that there are other things that I will think of in a month's time while walking somewhere random that you could have added, but I can't right now. ;-P

Maybe entertain a fractious child long enough for his/her parents to get a break? That's one I'm quite good at. :-)

I included both CPR and developing photography because they are things that I once knew how to do rather well. I still remember how to do CPR though haven't tried it out on a dummy for a number of years (and never have done it on a living organism!). As for developing a photograph - nah, actually that I'd need a refresher for. Maybe I shouldn't have ticked that one...

[olithered.livejournal.com]

You have created a most excellent poll!

[lethargic-man.livejournal.com]

I can't be bothered to check, but I do wonder if there's anyone apart from me who ticked "I can cook a tasty meal" but not "I can boil an egg". :o)

Hm...

[pplfichi.livejournal.com]

Nice poll!

Nabbing my results might be useful the next time I'm feeling useless...

[doseybat.livejournal.com]

Wow, changing lightbulbs and lighting candles are the two universal skills so far!

[spodlife]

I repaired a drystone wall once (well, over several weekends). I could design a house, but only a fool would then build it and/or try and live in it ;-)

I would love to say I could develop photographs, but by-passed that stage with DSLR.

Good poll! Now you need to write a program to provide answers to questions like lethargic_man's.

[lnr]

That poll reads like poetry.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)