Friday OT #1 - My Only Friend, The End

[Angie]

I have tried to buy plants and make them grow approximately 700 times, and I can't do it. I water too much, I don't water enough, I forget, bugs get them. I don't know. My skills are bad enough that I seriously doubted my ability to raise children for a while before we had them. I cannot do it, and yet keep trying, and it's incredibly daunting - usually, I can look at something and figure out how to do it. Not this. I even just bought some little succulents to put out on our front porch, and one of them is already leaning over - I don't know if we're watering it too much or I need to rotate it, but it's not looking good.

Do you have anything where, try as you might or might want, you cannot make it happen no matter what? Just some skill for which you are entirely ill-suited?

 

[cyfanatic13]

Talking to women

 

[Angie]

Talking to women

My biggest piece of advice can be summed up in two words - active listening. Just listen to them and ask questions when you're first getting to know someone and getting comfortable.

 

[20eyes]

My biggest piece of advice can be summed up in two words - active listening. Just listen to them and ask questions when you're first getting to know someone and getting comfortable.

This works, btw...

 

[Farnsworth]

I'm ill suited for things that take a lot of patience or time to do/learn.

Puzzles, Rubix Cube, Chess.

I used to want to learn to be good at chess there are just too many nuances, and I don't have the patience.

 

[MeanDean]

Dancing. Not that I've tried all that hard or care about it whatsoever. And I have no appreciation to watch it or for it as an art form.

When I watch some supposedly simple dance routine or step and everyone just jumps in and masters it in 30 seconds I know I'd never ever be able to do it. And again, that's fine because I really don't care that I won't master it.

 

[cycloner29]

I try to grow onions in my garden and they only get as big as a ping pong ball every year. I finally gave up. This spring with some renewed vigor, I am trying again. From the looks of them so far… I probably will not be growing them ever again!

 

[Angie]

I'm ill suited for things that take a lot of patience or time to do/learn.

Puzzles, Rubix Cube, Chess.

I used to want to learn to be good at chess there are just too many nuances, and I don't have the patience.

My husband and daughter love doing puzzles and playing chess. I don't know why, but I cannot do it. I don't have the patience, and I don't find the activity that interesting to focus that long.

 

[Clonefan32]

Cooking steaks. I'm pretty good around the grill/smoker, but I can never seem to get a steak exactly the way I want it.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Not being sexy.

 

[Isualum13]

Cooking steaks. I'm pretty good around the grill/smoker, but I can never seem to get a steak exactly the way I want it.

Get a good instant read meat thermometer.

Also, reverse sear is pretty fool proof but that also requires additional gear; either a leave in thermometer to track the temp in a low oven or an immersion circulator.

 

[Clonefan32]

My other one is reading books. I just lack the attention span for it. I love the concept of sitting down and reading a book, but I just can't do it.

 

[Cyclonepride]

My other one is reading books. I just lack the attention span for it. I love the concept of sitting down and reading a book, but I just can't do it.

I still read, but usually the only time I can find for it is in bed before I go to sleep, and now if I try to read a book during the day, I get sleepy

 

[Isualum13]

I would like to go back to being able to get schnockered and waking up the next morning without a splitting headache. Granted it's probably a good thing as the headaches prevent me from drinking too much now.

 

[Clonefan32]

I still read, but usually the only time I can find for it is in bed before I go to sleep, and now if I try to read a book during the day, I get sleepy

I think graduate school did it to me. It just sucked all the fun out of reading for me. Between that and the fact I have to read alot for my job, I just don't have much interest in doing it in my free time.

 

[Gonzo]

Dancing. Not that I've tried all that hard or care about it whatsoever. And I have no appreciation to watch it or for it as an art form.

When I watch some supposedly simple dance routine or step and everyone just jumps in and masters it in 30 seconds I know I'd never ever be able to do it. And again, that's fine because I really don't care that I won't master it.

There's no more terrifying place in the world for me than a dance floor. I've always considered myself pretty coordinated, was pretty good athlete back in the day, basketball, football, tennis, etc., but whenever I'd step onto a dance floor all of that coordination goes away. There's not a worse dancer in the world than me, which is why I never go there. Ever.

 

[CascadeClone]

Cooking steaks. I'm pretty good around the grill/smoker, but I can never seem to get a steak exactly the way I want it.

13's suggestion about using a meat thermometer is good, but I always struggled to make that work - felt slow to me. What has worked for me is using the timer on my phone in conjunction with the temp indicator on the grill. Basically get your grill up to 450-500F, then 4-5 minutes on one side, turn, 4-5 minutes more.

Omaha steaks online has a table showing the times per side, depending on thickness of cut and desired doneness. I copied that to my phone, used the timer for precision and after a couple iterations got it figured out.

Also, let it rest 3-4 minutes after you take off the grill. HUGE difference in flavor.

 

[Gonzo]

I have tried to buy plants and make them grow approximately 700 times, and I can't do it. I water too much, I don't water enough, I forget, bugs get them. I don't know. My skills are bad enough that I seriously doubted my ability to raise children for a while before we had them. I cannot do it, and yet keep trying, and it's incredibly daunting - usually, I can look at something and figure out how to do it. Not this. I even just bought some little succulents to put out on our front porch, and one of them is already leaning over - I don't know if we're watering it too much or I need to rotate it, but it's not looking good.

Do you have anything where, try as you might or might want, you cannot make it happen no matter what? Just some skill for which you are entirely ill-suited?

Golf. Tried for years, many of my friends are avid players, but I realized a little over a decade ago that I couldn't do it and it just p*ssed me off. Haven't played since.

 

[SCyclone]

I'm not mechanically inclined, and I wish I were, because I could save a helluva lot of money. My brother is the kind of guy who takes a radio apart to see what all is there, and then puts it back together (without having sorted or marked anything). I can do a lot of things, but motors and electronics have me baffled.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I have tried to buy plants and make them grow approximately 700 times, and I can't do it. I water too much, I don't water enough, I forget, bugs get them. I don't know. My skills are bad enough that I seriously doubted my ability to raise children for a while before we had them. I cannot do it, and yet keep trying, and it's incredibly daunting - usually, I can look at something and figure out how to do it. Not this. I even just bought some little succulents to put out on our front porch, and one of them is already leaning over - I don't know if we're watering it too much or I need to rotate it, but it's not looking good.

Do you have anything where, try as you might or might want, you cannot make it happen no matter what? Just some skill for which you are entirely ill-suited?

Small talk. Can't do it. Makes my brain hurt.