Wednesday
Jul302008
TIME’S UP! Hidden talents contest
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 6:45AM
Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.
This is my favorite movie:
I've seen it at least fifty times. Even looking at these pictures warms the cockles of me 'eart.
Remember the part where Captain Von Trapp and the Baroness Schrader throw the party? It's where the Captain and Maria realize their feelings for each other, and where the Baroness manipulates Maria into leaving.
At the ball, one of the heads of the Nazi party speaks to Captain Von Trapp and remarks on his family's upcoming performance at the music festival. Captain Von Trapp says, "I, too, am a man of hidden talents." Of course, he says it with a smirk that's masking his anger, as he hates how the Nazis have claimed his beloved Austria.
We are all people of hidden talents, I believe. The focus of this contest is HIDDEN talents, something few people would know about. If you're an excellent knitter and make gifts for people far and wide, that's a wonderful thing, but it's not a hidden talent.
For example:
What can I say? It's a gift.
Did you know that hairspray will remove ball point pen from clothing?
Or that if you place wadded up wet newspapers on the soil of your houseplants, it will keep them from dying while you're on vacation?
I did.
What are your hidden talents? Leave a comment to this post telling me at least one thing you can secretly do, and you could win a skein of yarn. Not just any skein, either. You choose the yarn base (anything we have instock), and you choose the colorway. We'll make it for you. YAY!
You have until Friday, August 1st at 8pm Eastern to tell me all about your hidden talents.
This is my favorite movie:
I've seen it at least fifty times. Even looking at these pictures warms the cockles of me 'eart.
Remember the part where Captain Von Trapp and the Baroness Schrader throw the party? It's where the Captain and Maria realize their feelings for each other, and where the Baroness manipulates Maria into leaving.
At the ball, one of the heads of the Nazi party speaks to Captain Von Trapp and remarks on his family's upcoming performance at the music festival. Captain Von Trapp says, "I, too, am a man of hidden talents." Of course, he says it with a smirk that's masking his anger, as he hates how the Nazis have claimed his beloved Austria.
We are all people of hidden talents, I believe. The focus of this contest is HIDDEN talents, something few people would know about. If you're an excellent knitter and make gifts for people far and wide, that's a wonderful thing, but it's not a hidden talent.
For example:
- I can eyeball liquid measurements quite accurately. I can tell the difference between 1/4 teaspoon and 12 cups with ease.
What can I say? It's a gift.
- I can imitate a dolphin's clicky sounds. I have no idea why I know how to do this, but my children find it really very remarkable.
- I have a freakishly bizarre ability to remember household hints. Not because I am such a fantastic stain remover, but because I remember all the tips I read. It's like the file for household tips storage is extra large in my brain.
Did you know that hairspray will remove ball point pen from clothing?
Or that if you place wadded up wet newspapers on the soil of your houseplants, it will keep them from dying while you're on vacation?
I did.
What are your hidden talents? Leave a comment to this post telling me at least one thing you can secretly do, and you could win a skein of yarn. Not just any skein, either. You choose the yarn base (anything we have instock), and you choose the colorway. We'll make it for you. YAY!
You have until Friday, August 1st at 8pm Eastern to tell me all about your hidden talents.
Reader Comments (76)
Oooh, what a fun contest. My hidden talent involves never needing to make a grocery list, because once I make up my menu for the week, I seem to just know what I need to buy, and I rarely forget anything.
As usual, you make me laugh. I honestly sat here this morning and laughed out loud a long time - I could just hear you speak about your uncanny ability to eyeball measurements. You are funny. My hidden talent? I have always been able to conceive and birth (and sort of raise) beautiful, brilliant, delightful, creative, kind and funny daughters. And, in an orderly way, I can fit more dishes into a dishwasher than anyone. (But I have never been able to find the couscous....)
My hidden talent is that I can tell by a glance how furniture will fit into a room - no tape measures required. This was especially useful growing up as an Army brat. Even my dad, who is a civil engineer and an Army Ranger, can't fit things together as well as I can. It's like playing Tetris with sofas and bookcases in your head!
I can juggle while doing a hand stand . . .no actually, I can stay up for at least 36 hours straight (I think my most ever was 48 hours).
PS. Mother of the Yarnista, that was very nice. You've obviously done your job as 'mom' well:)
Oh, oh! I've got a good one.....I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue. Yes, super useful. Even better.....I can unwrap a starburst in my mouth. Yes, another super useful talent!
I can sing exactly like Britney Spears and Cher at karaoke. I sound exactly like the recordings... however, I can't speak like anyone. All my accents always sound the same: Drunk Russian. Trying to impersonate a French person? Drunk Russian. The President? Drunk Russian.
But, I could probably sing like them if I tried...
*If I could turn back tiiooommee....*
I can burp "Mary had a Little Lamb" (something my kids HATE which is why I do it!), and I can cook without using recipes. I can also untangle ANYTHING including lace weight yarn! ANd my husband will tell you taht if it's lost I will find it.
I have two, actually! I can fold the tip of my tongue into a "W" and I can wiggle the top halves of my big toes without moving the bottom halves. I'm pretty sure that's why my husband married me. Ok, that makes it sound like there's something naughty involved - but there really isn't, I swear! :o)
It's like I have GPS built into my brain. Sure I'll check out new locations on Mapquest, but we all know how "reliable" that is. My brain just seems to send out signals... like "turn left here", "this road will probably intersect with 95 4-5 miles due West" or "head North and you'll be there in about 10 minutes".
I guess moving from MA to Chicago to DC to MD in the span of four years has helped further develop the skills. I'm also fearless on the roads and behind the wheel of a car. But heck, I'm from Boston...that goes without sayin'! ;)
I am a cat whisperer. When I go to other people's houses, they'll often find me with their old, corchety, people hating cats, and say, "But Fluffy hates everyone!" as Fluffy purrs and cuddles up against me.
I can hang pictures and groups of pictures straight and centered by just eyeballing...no tape measurer required. Comes in handy since I'm an Interior Designer.
My secret talent is that my feet have the ability to find obstacles and hazards to trip over where ever I am! Even on the smoothest surface my feet will find the teeny tiniest crack to stumble over. Infact, I quite literally knocked my dear husband off his feet and won his heart with this incredible talent. ;)
I have a huge musical library in my head, as I seem to remember just about every song I've ever heard. I have a song for every occasion and mood. I also have a freaky memory for every show choir dance routine I learned when I was a kid (and I was in a lot of choirs).
I have never seen The Sound of Music all the way through, though.
I have an uncanny ability to remember song lyrics. It freaks my husband out. We can be on a road trip listening to the radio, and I'll be able to sing along with every song, even the ones he has never heard me listen to. Of course, I can't remember what I need to do in a given day to save my life, so I guess there is a trade off.......
My hidden talent is that not only can I roll my tongue once, but I can do it twice and three times at the same time. I can also bend my tongue back without holding it.
AND, I'm willing to provide documentary evidence, if need be.
I also never make a grocery list. I think of the 6 meals I need to make for dinners, get the stuff for those, and then get stuff for lunches and breakfast. I have a method of going through the grocery store the same exact path so I usually don't forget anything.
I know where everything in the house is. DH will say things like, "Where's my underwear?" and I'll reply, "Did you check behind the sofa?" and then there will be a moment's pause and he will say, "Thank you!"
(I used underwear in that example because it's funnier, but usually he's asking for his keys, his sunglasses, or mustard.)
I can remember complete conversations from years in the past word for word. Needless to say, my husband and mother don't particularly find this to be a talent!
I can learn how to order food in any language in under two days and I can always find the hidden animals at the Zoo. Super useful when you are on secret safari in a big city!
I seem to remember dates from my past very well. Birthdays, anniversaries, first dates (even those that weren't with my DH... sh...) And I can still remember phones numbers from when I was in high school.
but don't ask me any phone numbers now... once entered into my cell phone, I never think about them again... its sad.
i can match colors by memory. i know exactly what colors i have in my 550 kilo bead collection, so i never buy duplicates & i can color match furnishings, draperies & paint without carrying samples.
Sounds gross, but I can lick my own tongue. Seriously. I can fold my tongue backwards and lick it. Really!
I can assemble toys, furniture that sort of thing without instructions in amazing time. And yes assemble it correctly, lol. But shhh don't tell! Could you imagine Christmas morning if we let this knowledge out!
I have two to share: I can consistently wake up ten minutes before my alarm goes off (which is helpful), and I can stub my toe anywhere, even on a perfectly flat surface (which is not so helpful).
Actually, I'm not sure whether that second one is so hidden. I've yelped pretty loud over that, even if people don't always know what happened.
I pick up foreign languages pretty quickly. Not that I can necessarily converse quickly, but I can get the gist of conversations and signage in a few days.