Skills I have learned...useful and not-so!

freyasmum

I can Google, therefor I can do most things I should so wish.

I connected a new light fitting up to the mains before, fixed my washing machine, have laid carpet and decking, and built a wall. I can cook and budget and keep a decent store cupboard - and can create meals from bits and pieces that need to be used up.

I cannot (and will not) swim - I am also blind as a bat! Well, I can get around under the water, I just can't stay afloat either! :rotfl:

Linda32

blackcatsx2 wrote: »

I was taught typing on a typewriter so I know how to centre the heading of a document by counting the number of letters in the heading, divide by 2 and then backspace from the middle of the page - anyone else remember doing that ? I’m sure that skill will never be needed again.

Yes, I was taught this as well. I had to produce a menu. I doubt it will ever be used again.

PollyWollyDoodle

I can
Bake - but have yet to master bread
Make meals from leftovers
Sew, knit and crochet
Drive
Swim
Ride a bike
Touch type (immensely useful, and yes I recall centring - incredible how things have changed in my working life! I also used to know how to use a telex machine and cut stencils for a Gestetner (?) for multiple copies :rotfl:)
Use spreadsheets
Deliver speeches in public
Speak French and Esperanto
Ride a horse

Never think you're too old to learn something new.
The thing I'm proudest of is learning to sing in my fifties, I went from zero to Grade 8 including passing my music theory exam.

I can't
Dance (would love to tap dance!)
Skate
Ski
Draw

sillyvixen

As a child I was in the church choir and learned to read music, I have never been able to apply it to a musical instrument!

I can cook, even meat, as a veggie - it is roast potatos that let me down.

I can't knit (nan gave up trying to teach me) I can do cross stitch as I was taught that instead, I am slowly learning more practicle skills I 're hemmed a dress on Christmas eve and have sewed hubbys hat when the peak began to come adrift.

I can bake cakes.

I can bake bread, but find it upsetting, as it reminds me of my nan who always made her own.

jackyann

So interesting, what a talented lot you are!
I was taught all the basic household skills - that included dress making & knitting at that time. And as the women in my family and community worked outside the home as well, I was taught to do them well & quickly!
Probably the only one I have dropped is knitting as I can't keep the tension, but I can crochet very well, and make things for Loving Hands.
Actually, I no longer raise a hot water crust pie - that is a skill that needs practising a lot, and the demand is not what it used to be!
Unlike sillyvixen, I am not upset at the memories all these skills bring to mind - I feel more as if I am honouring those women who taught me.

I struggle with gardening, but can grow herbs and love my deep bed.

I only learned a little sign language, but can spell out the alphabet, which has occasionally been useful.

I never mastered shorthand, which would have been useful.

I have a tin ear for music, and am fairly un-co-ordinated so can't dance. Swimming however, is a great joy to me.

I learned so many useful skills as a nurse. One that I find useful frequently is that I can assess the age of a child quickly and know a rhyme and story suitable for most ages & occasions.

Finally, the skill I have forgotten (and so have most who practised it) is tictac. I can only remember the sign for 'evens'. But I'm sure Google has it - pause - yes it's on YouTube.

tori.k

I'm surprised how many haven't learned to swim, I guess I just took it for granted living on a island it was something everybody was taught from a safety issue.
I know plants & gardening ( my job)
Cook ( well haven't killed anybody yet)
Butcher I know how to skin a rabbit, deal with pheasant, gut fish
Preserve and ferment foods
Safe use of firearm's, how to break down, clean and reassemble a rifle
Basic home DIY
Basic clothing repair
Basic first aid
Drive
Swim surf& ride a bike

I cannot
Arts& crafts, drawing, painting knitting, I guess I lack the imagination.
Dance don't have the grace for skills like that.
Writing or languages I can do the basics to get by, but I'm more practical than academic.
Sing I'm totally tone death
Hair I cannot do anything fancy with my hair,

Reading this I've realised how redneck I am

ancientofdays

I can do the following

Swim
Drive, though at present choose not to
Cook, including baking and preserving
Knit and can design own patterns if I have to
Sew, including mending and dressmaking but I dislike sewing
Embroider but not very well
Ride a bike
Grow fruit and veg, am not an ornamental gardener
Earn a living to support my family
DIY but not plumbing or electrics. I can do quite a lot, surprisingly
Drink tea for England
Remove spiders but mostly ignore them though I do make the poor things homeless
Speak and read French
Type and set out documents

I can't

Whistle
Skate
Darn, actually I can but refuse
Touch birds
Crochet, except for edgings
Ride a horse because it might run amok and I'm a scaredy cat

I am bound to think of more things that I can't do so will come back and amend

jackyann

Oh ancient, you reminded me that I can't whistle! My mum tried to teach me and would say that when she was young, she was told " a whistling woman and a crowing hen, are good for neither beasts nor men" and she would reply " a woman that whistles or a hen that crows, will bring good luck wherever she goes".
And that was typical of her!

Nonnadiluca

According to my late mum, "A whistling girl and a crowing hen brings the devil out of his den." Does anyone still say things like that? Mum had an old saying for practically any situation!

moneyistooshorttomention

I CAN;
- am a reasonable cook (though still learning all the time)
- budget
- forage
- have been told often enough I'm a "good listener" that I guess I must be
- administrative skills
- translate more complex written material (as long as it's not technical/specialist) into language anyone can understand (I've had to regularly for someone I know well:cool:)
- reasonable dancer if "doing my own thing"
- standing up to people if need be (both on my own behalf and on behalf of others that aren't so able to).

WHAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE:
- decent handwriting instead of an utter scrawl

- be able to sing in tune

- be flexible enough/good balance enough to imitate those yoga practitioners that do all sorts (being able to stand on one leg - like everyone else seems to be able to do even - would help...)

- play basic musical instruments (piano/guitar/violin)

- DIY skills (all of them - up to "do them for a job standard"). It would help a lot - particularly living where I do now:cool:

- speak a couple of other languages (ie French/Italian/Spanish/German/Swedish/Dutch). Not very useful in day-to-day life in West Wales - but I'd be able to read websites/literature from those countries. I've got no excuse for not re-learning French/learning one of the others - as I don't think I'd be bad at languages....but can only speak English (and have limited understanding of French and Italian).