No political posturing.
Computers just work around me. Steady the software and programs. I’m not in the tech or it field. I’m in retail management.
The amount of times people call me over only to say “well now it’s working but before it took me to some other screen”
“Glad I could help”
Before every 3rd annual review I set out getting competitive wages from competitors to bring to my review for my current employer to match or else I accept the competing offer and my current employer can use my annual review as my 2 week notice.
Has worked 5 out of 5 times accross 3 different companies over my 20 year work span.
Being happy by myself.
Im a bit of a dillatant and don’t think im really very good at doing anything. Im great with planning and thinking about things and such. I feel I seem to handle change easier than most and im good at loading things into a confined space. I joke its due to all the tetris when I was younger.
I’m a voracious reader. Took me decades to realize that otherwise intelligent people sometimes can’t follow a novel. Also, I can see it in my head, like watching a movie.
Good friend was over yesterday trying to read a username on my screen (which is a huge TV). The name was $SomethingDuo. He couldn’t pronounce duo. The man is illiterate and I never had a clue! Maybe he’s dyslexic? I would think the Marine Corp would have caught that. Maybe he ate too many crayons?
Never did well in chemistry, but give me a spelling I’ve never seen and I can nail it after a moment’s thought. Reading the Belter’s mish-mash of languages in The Expanse made sense, even in languages I don’t know. I’m also great at learning languages, spoken or written.
One more thing, I have a strong sense for the weather and seasons. My wife and kids are clueless, can’t even dress themselves appropriately. That’s probably learned behavior though. I’m a wuss for being uncomfortable outside and I’m outside far more than most people.
One more. I’m not afraid of wild animals, even the big ones like black bears, alligators and panthers. They’re not going to mess with you and you’ll be lucky to catch a glimpse. Thought that was normal, but even Florida natives are often afraid of gators.
I have a good imagination. After meeting people with aphantasia it seems I have an exceptional ability to call to mind sights, smells, sensations, sounds, and simulate the interactions they would have entirely in my mind. I can imagine a different set of curtains on the wall and tell you if it would clash with your paint, and I can taste a spoonful of a soup and go through a mental library of tastes and combine it with more salt, onion, wine etc and make a suggestion based on what “tasted” the best. I thought everyone could do it but some people don’t have a “mind’s eye” at all. Some people only can see in their imaginations, not smell or taste or hear etc.
Same, but it sounds like you’re a little better than I. Reading posts on reddit years ago was what made me realize that some people can’t picture things in their head.
I’m a solid 1 on this scale, had assumed everyone else was as well.
The downside is that when I get a song stuck in my head, it’s really in there.
Popping their ears. I can “pop” my ears by opening my eustachian tubes on demand. I can even hold them open if I want to. Apparently a lot of people can’t do that.
I can pop them also! Which is good because I need to do it frequently because of sinus problems ‘clogging’ them.
I can do this too. It feels like I’m trying to flex my jaw muscles downwards. And makes that satisfying crackling noise when they open up.
TIL there are people who can’t do this
Driving without touching my phone.
So close to an upvote until I saw it said phone.
WHAT DID YOU THINK IT WAS???
I genuinely do not know
Not judging other people. Partly, I’m just quite easy going, partly I’ve had enough personal history of making mistakes to understand that people often have others reasons for their actions. But mostly I just don’t see the point in wasting headspace caring about someone’s appearance, opinion or behaviour.
But I feel like I’m constantly hearing people bitching, moaning and picking at other people. There are situations where you need to take a decision about something (particularly if you’re in a position of responsibility or authority) but most of the time there seems very little point in being judgemental about someone.
I don’t believe in free will so I always think to myself that if I was in their shoes I’d be acting the same way. It doesn’t mean I have endless tolerance for bad behavior or that it doesn’t affect whether I want to be around said person or not but I don’t act as if they’re personally responsible for who they are or that they’re actively choosing to be that way.
Our brains start firing to take action before we are conscious of that action. We can see this on a scan.
Not a comfortable thought, but our brains are driving and only after taking action do they send an executive summary to the little homonculous behind our eyeballs and we say, “I did that!”
Budgeting and staying afloat.
I’m immune to FOMO, I’ve been conditioned and hard-wired to resist a majority of what commercialism tries shoving in my face. I’ll get what works for me and has proven to work for me and I’ll consider alternative options if whatever that is, is proven to me that it is something better.
I may be living as an individual and alone, but I don’t feel the need to spend $200+ on groceries just for me. Some people whose budgets are broken down when they go over their expenses just for them, I see so many flaws. Why do you need weed? Why do you need this or that? Why did you pick a place to live that costs you $2,000 a month? Are you insane?
Not trying to judge but you came here complaining to us (whenever I see it on social media) about why you’re broke or struggling, until I see what you’re spending on. Stop subscribing to bundled utilities where you’ll use only ONE of them (Net), stop subscribing to things you know you’ll use only once then forget about. It’s not that freaking hard, but the only reason people do these dumb things is to feel inclusive or feel like they’re saving on things but don’t read the fine print. It is all on you for why you fail budgeting.
I’m not trying to make excuses for capitalism but it’s survivable if you ask me.
Public speaking. I just can’t get my head around the fact that a crowd is composed of real, individual people. It just looks like an impersonal, lifeless blob to me, so I have no trouble performing in front of it.
Explaining difficult technical concepts to laypeople. Just gotta find the correct analogy.
I excelled at tech support with this skill. I can quickly figure a person’s technical ability. If you talk below them, they’re insulted. If you talk over them, they’re insulted. Gotta hit 'em where they live.
If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know it well enough.
That’s one of my favorite sayings.
With the caveat that a simple explanation stipulates a basic understanding of the topic at hand. I could explain the concept of First Break Positioning to anyone, but it’s gonna take a while unless they have a basic understanding of how a seismic survey works.
Fixing things. Repair. Assembly. Construction. Diagnosis. It always surprises me how many people are incapable of understanding how something works or what needs done to repair it.
From engines to furnaces to plumbing, computers, electronics, whatever, I do it all myself. And it’s not even remotely connected to me career. Repairmen hate me!
I struggle with mechanical jobs, but I try anyway. About everything I can repair, upgrade, repurpose, etc. I but almost nothing new. If everyone had those habits and knowledge, the economy would collapse.
Repairmen hate me!
No I don’t. I sometimes even give free tips to my customers on how to do something themselves so that they don’t need to pay for me to do it for them.
Basic hygiene, sadly
Climbing, I see a path and just take it. Pretty crazy how many people are afraid of heights. I’ve been climbing towers for over 20 years and have seen a lot of people not make it through the day.
Been scared shitless of heights since I was a child. If I’m secured in any way, no problem. I can zip line, it’s the tower climb that makes me nervous.
Used to be a cable and satellite installer. Still never got over it.
I work at hight and one of my secrets is that I am afraid of heights, I am just really good at turning off the part of my brain that says what I’m doing is a terrible idea.
