Simple things you can't do/don't understand

Custardpi

languagenerd wrote: »

Salad. I just don't understand salad as a concept. Like, if I try to make it, I just end up throwing a load of chopped veg in a bowl and it looks awful. I don't really know how to go about eating it - I end up with a mouthful of lettuce, which is horrible - and I can't really pick it properly on a fork. And I don't get how people have salad as a meal, cause if I manage to make/eat it, it doesn't fill me, I'm starving again a few minutes later.

You really need a decent dressing to make a salad taste nice, which obviously makes it a bit less healthy but whatever. Don't just have ingredients with the same taste unless you're just having a small salad with something else. Lettuce, even different varieties of lettuce isn't that interesting flavour wise. Mix in some sweet peppers, tomatoes etc. Personally I tend to make salads (usually with chicken breast as a meal but sometimes just as a small side dish) with a dressing made from extra virgin olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, a large spoon of wholegrain mustard & some chilli flakes. I also find tearing leaves up a bit smaller (so you don't get a massive piece of lettuce leaf & nothing else as a mouthful) helps to make the flavour more varied.

Chancer3001

I can't tie a tie.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaam

Ask dad to tie this for me.

I'm 31

Digital Solitude

Chancer3001 wrote: »

I can't tie a tie.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaam

Ask dad to tie this for me.

I'm 31

Myself and Mam are the only ones in the house who can tie a tie

Dad, brother, brother in law and occasionally cousins all looking for ties

heathledgerlove

Driving!! Can get the car to move, but all those little details and habits you have to adopt... I'm in awe of anyone who does it so effortlessly. I've had 2 instructors tell me kindly that I don't understand mechanics, or something... Still soldiering on!

jimmy180sx

Long division

Wibbs

I first met one of my closest friends when we were both little kids back in 197*ahem* when I taught him how to knot a tie and he showed me how to tie my laces.

mahoganygas

The offside rule.






I am a man.

Boom_Bap

Medusa22 wrote: »

Oh the babyliss curl? I have that too! I can't use it on myself either but luckily my OH is a girl and I can persuade her to curl my hair for me every once in a while I can't for the life of me do GHD curls or use a wand or anything like that, my only hope was the curler that does it for you and I can't even use that myself :pac:

The only thing I can do with my hair is straighten it, I'm hopeless at anything else.

I don't understand hair that doesn't belong to my head. A friend of mine owns a business that invented a night curler hair thing, he can talk for hours about hair now.
When I'm blow drying my daughters hair it seems to get more tangled as I do it. She has straight hair that I magically make curly.

I also can't tie a tie, or tie shoe laces properly, I have my own way of doing them, but they are not correct.

tomthetank

I can't eat food on public transport. I just can't do it. It's comparable to me to being naked In pilibluc or something, it's just so vulgar and rude and attention seeking. Why do people do it? There's a girl beside me now on the bus hamming into a pack of cheese and union crisps. it's smelly and loud and gross and the bus stinks cheesy and oniony now. Ugh

Ciderswigger

tomthetank wrote: »

it's just so vulgar and rude and attention seeking.

Eating anywhere that isn't in the privacy of your own home is attention seeking?

Ciderswigger

Ciderswigger wrote: »

Eating anywhere that isn't in the privacy of your own home is attention seeking?

Course not. Nobody said that.

Eating on public transport isn't nice though, it's not a restaurant or a space where you can get away from the smell/noise etc.

Peregrine

If anything, this thread has made me feel better about myself.

I can eat using a knife with my right hand and a fork with the left simultaneously.

I can tell the time and tell right from left.

I can tie ties and my shoe laces!

Small victories over life!

But duvets, whistling, the letter V and skates. I can't work 'em.

Ciderswigger

Candie wrote: »

Course not. Nobody said that.

Eating on public transport isn't nice though, it's not a restaurant or a space where you can get away from the smell/noise etc.

Eating on public transport is vulgar and attention seeking is what the op is saying. How is someone eating a ham sandwich for example attention seeking?

Ciderswigger

Ciderswigger wrote: »

Eating on public transport is vulgar and attention seeking is what the op is saying. How is someone eating a ham sandwich for example attention seeking?

Maybe not attention seeking but definitely really bad manners. Nobody sits on the bus and expects to hear someone chewing away on a sandwich, or smelling their food. That's for open spaces or designated places, not where no one can escape it.

It's not a question of eat in your home or nowhere else, just be considerate.

Corkgirl18

I don't understand any kind of Star Wars reference.. I've never seen any of the movies

Ciderswigger

Candie wrote: »

Maybe not attention seeking but definitely really bad manners. Nobody sits on the bus and expects to hear someone chewing away on a sandwich, or smelling their food. That's for open spaces or designated places, not where no one can escape it.

It's not a question of eat in your home or nowhere else, just be considerate.

I can't fry an egg so who am I to discuss food!

Lia_lia

Candie wrote: »

Maybe not attention seeking but definitely really bad manners. Nobody sits on the bus and expects to hear someone chewing away on a sandwich, or smelling their food. That's for open spaces or designated places, not where no one can escape it.

It's not a question of eat in your home or nowhere else, just be considerate.

Have you ever been on a long 8+ hour bus journey? Sometimes you have to eat!

dr.fuzzenstein

Corkgirl18 wrote: »

I don't understand any kind of Star Wars reference.. I've never seen any of the movies

Just throw a few around to confuse people, the force will be with you, I am your father, let the wookie win, these aren't the droids you're looking for. There you go, covered. Nerds will now love you. . I did the same for football. Learn off 2-3 generic phrases and bingo, you're one of the lads. So you guessed it, football is what I can't understand. Or maybe I understand I wrong? Bunch of overpaid prima Donnas kicking an inflated pig's bladder round a field whilst millions of men utterly lose their sh*t and hand over most of their money for a premium sky subscription to watch what used to be free. And that's before spending silly money on made in China nylon outfits to advertise their team of choice.

Arbiter of Good Taste

fussyonion wrote: »

I don't know how to do loads of stuff car-related.

I wouldn't know when or how to change the oil.
How am I meant to know when that's supposed to be done?
I don't know how to change the washer fluid....or where the compartment is.

I don't know how to pop the bonnet open or where my fog lights are.
I shouldn't really be on the roads, I suppose, but my other half takes care of all that.

I rarely get petrol (he does) and when I do, I make sure I drive up to the pump on the correct side and I often have trouble closing the petrol cap.
You have to use a key and turn it at the same time and sometimes I can't close it.

I often wonder how I passed my driving test first time.
If I resat it, I'd fail miserably.
I've never driven on the M50 in my 8 years of driving.

I can't find my way around most of Dublin.
I once asked a guy (while on Trinity Street): "Which way do I go for Grafton Street?", to which he replied: "Are you Irish?!".

I can't get my head around Blanchardstown being on the Northside; somehow I've always thought it was on the Southside.

I cannot cook steak; it's always tough. My other half is fab at cooking steak.

I can't whistle. I can't swim. I can't change a plug. I wouldn't know how to put up shelves.

All in all, I'm hopeless!

Disclaimer: I am female.

The guy you asked directions from is a grade A jerk

Arbiter of Good Taste

Corkgirl18 wrote: »

I don't understand any kind of Star Wars reference.. I've never seen any of the movies

Don't worry. I've seen the original 3 and still don't get most of the references

MRnotlob606

Tie my shoelaces

osarusan

Cook an omelette properly.

Pac1Man

Regarding politics, what is left wing, right wing, left centre etc.?

I know I could Google it but I'll get thesis type answers.

Testament1

Ive never been able to peel a spud properly. Always end up cutting chunks of the spud off instead of the skin and generally making a bit of a mess.

I'm fairly hopeless at ironing shirts too. Usually create more creases instead of iron them out.

Robsweezie

Pac1Man wrote:

Regarding politics, what is left wing, right wing, left centre etc.?

Pac1Man wrote:

I know I could Google it but I'll get thesis type answers.

I've come across these terms recently myself. My understanding is left wing is conservative, liking things as they are. Right wing is more liberal, louder and outspoken on topics like abortion, being pro choice.

LittleMuppet

I cannot reverse my car when my OH is in it with me. I just don't get what he means when he says left hand down lol I cannot get my petrol cap open EVER. I ask whatever man is around. I cannot tell my let from my right when giving directions to other people but I'm OK when I'm on my own.

I don't think I should be let loose in society without a guardian

Peregrine

I can't cook properly I mess up or burn everything.

Robsweezie wrote: »

I've come across these terms recently myself. My understanding is left wing is conservative, liking things as they are. Right wing is more liberal, louder and outspoken on topics like abortion, being pro choice.

The opposite. If you're talking about just social policies.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I don't understand Facebook. It's purpose and operation just escape me.

languagenerd

Robsweezie wrote: »

I've come across these terms recently myself. My understanding is left wing is conservative, liking things as they are. Right wing is more liberal, louder and outspoken on topics like abortion, being pro choice.

In a nutshell, it's usually the other way around. Left wing = liberal, right wing = conservative. The most extreme left is communism, the most extreme right is fascism.

But things can get messy in Ireland because some of our parties began when we were part of the UK, so they would be considered left on the UK political spectrum but right on the Irish one.

koriko

TrueIt wrote: »

I can't lick my elbow with my tongue, everyone I know can do it! Am I the only one who cannot?

Fell for it! Well done!
I just tried and I can't ☺️😜🙈

Lia_lia

Jordyn Yellow Shortbread wrote: »

I don't understand Facebook. It's purpose and operation just escape me.

My boyfriend doesn't understand Boards. "How do you have conversations about everything with strangers on the Internet". He has a point I guess..

5rtytry56

Chancer3001 wrote: »

I can't tie a tie.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaam

Ask dad to tie this for me.

I'm 31

I'm 43.

Rubberlegs

I can't use a tin opener.
I can't roast beef. I can cook steak, casseroles with beef , but give me a lump to roast, and I'll get it wrong every time.
I too dread being asked for directions. It doesn't matter how well I know where a place is, I'll have trouble explaining it, usually have to resort to looking at my hands to tell left from right.
I refuse point blank to reverse into a space, but can drive in and reverse out no bother. Sometimes when I'm reversing in general, my brains go to mush , and although I'll want the back of the car to go one way, I'll turn the wheel so it goes the opposite way.
I can only parallel park with the passenger door side to the kerb.
I don't really know anything that goes on under the bonnet of a car.
But I can whistle like a songbird

Medusa22

73Cat wrote: »

I can't use a tin opener.
I can't roast beef. I can cook steak, casseroles with beef , but give me a lump to roast, and I'll get it wrong every time.
I too dread being asked for directions. It doesn't matter how well I know where a place is, I'll have trouble explaining it, usually have to resort to looking at my hands to tell left from right.
I refuse point blank to reverse into a space, but can drive in and reverse out no bother. Sometimes when I'm reversing in general, my brains go to mush , and although I'll want the back of the car to go one way, I'll turn the wheel so it goes the opposite way.
I can only parallel park with the passenger door side to the kerb.
I don't really know anything that goes on under the bonnet of a car.
But I can whistle like a songbird

Being a leftie, I do struggle with tin openers, I can use them but it's annoying.

I also struggle and can't use right-handed potato peelers.

Colser

Twitter,I get dizzy looking at it. Ive no idea about left or right wing.I come out of union meetings non the wiser.Pensions confuse me.Not too sure about Rugby rules.Cant change those scew in bulbs. Think I need to go to the school of life tbh.

Rubberlegs

Colser wrote: »

Twitter,I get dizzy looking at it. Ive no idea about left or right wing.I come out of union meetings non the wiser.Pensions confuse me.Not too sure about Rugby rules.Cant change those scew in bulbs. Think I need to go to the school of life tbh.

I'm the same, Twitter is a pure mystery to me, as is Instagram. I haven't a clue about politics, who's who, what they stand for etc.
I can't for the life of me listen to music while driving, any kind of noise at all when I'm driving, like the wipers or demister thing wrecks my head. I'd love to be cool with pumping tunes, but I love nothing better than driving alone in total silence, just me and my thoughts

Wibbs

Corkgirl18 wrote: »

I don't understand any kind of Star Wars reference.. I've never seen any of the movies

Easy to sort in one fell swoop CC, just go and watch the current one, it's pretty much a remix of the originals, with the original hero turned into a heroine(minus his faults and journey).

ancapailldorcha

Wibbs wrote: »

Easy to sort in one fell swoop CC, just go and watch the current one, it's pretty much a remix of the originals, with the original hero turned into a heroine(minus his faults and journey).

Finally, someone else who didn't like the new one...

Peregrine

Times tables — I could never remember the bloody things.

I'm starting to think it was a good thing though. I was recently told by my neighbour's young fella that he 'can't multiply 14 and 10 because it's not in the table'. Sigh.

caille

I have mild Dyspraxia so there are loads and loads of simple things I can't do, life is a constant battle just to even walk straight and not fall down sometimes (wish I was joking but I have the bruises and scars on my legs to prove it).

I can't follow directions and I can't give them.
I do know my right from my left but only because I write with my right hand, so write=right (if that helps someone).
I can't drive.
I can't do orientation.
I can't play basketball (but I can play badminton really well).
I can't follow aural instructions but show me written instructions and I am flying (could cause problems in work but I am able to hide this as much as I can by getting instructions by email and I get really good performance reviews, plus I do work very hard and have a good attitude and that is always appreciated),
I can't open tops of things or jars or screw top things, I do spend ages trying to do it though or figure it out and am always clappy happy when I do.
I can't do IT things or set up things like UPC etc, however, I have really preserved with this and I am a lot better now, I really try to work through my fears and the rewards are great when it works out :-)
I can't sit in a meeting without wanting to be sick beforehand or go to a presentation (let alone give one), however, I am working on all this.

There are other things I can't do but what I know I CAN do, I keep trying every day to overcome my fears and to keep going as best as I can. I know the things I CAN do - I can cook, bake, listen to people, look after someone when they are ill or feeling unwell, I am good with animals and small children, I am kind, empathetic and feel so many things that sometimes hurt but would rather be like this than uncaring and cold. I have a good sense of clothes style and with make up, I can sing, play music and tell jokes so hopefully all of the above make up for all the things I can't do. And I will keep trying at the things I can't do :-()

Lisha

caille wrote: »

I have mild Dyspraxia so there are loads and loads of simple things I can't do, life is a constant battle just to even walk straight and not fall down sometimes (wish I was joking but I have the bruises and scars on my legs to prove it).

I can't follow directions and I can't give them.
I do know my right from my left but only because I write with my right hand, so write=right (if that helps someone).
I can't drive.
I can't do orientation.
I can't play basketball (but I can play badminton really well).
I can't follow aural instructions but show me written instructions and I am flying (could cause problems in work but I am able to hide this as much as I can by getting instructions by email and I get really good performance reviews, plus I do work very hard and have a good attitude and that is always appreciated),
I can't open tops of things or jars or screw top things, I do spend ages trying to do it though or figure it out and am always clappy happy when I do.
I can't do IT things or set up things like UPC etc, however, I have really preserved with this and I am a lot better now, I really try to work through my fears and the rewards are great when it works out :-)
I can't sit in a meeting without wanting to be sick beforehand or go to a presentation (let alone give one), however, I am working on all this.

There are other things I can't do but what I know I CAN do, I keep trying every day to overcome my fears and to keep going as best as I can. I know the things I CAN do - I can cook, bake, listen to people, look after someone when they are ill or feeling unwell, I am good with animals and small children, I am kind, empathetic and feel so many things that sometimes hurt but would rather be like this than uncaring and cold. I have a good sense of clothes style and with make up, I can sing, play music and tell jokes so hopefully all of the above make up for all the things I can't do. And I will keep trying at the things I can't do :-()

Happy new year, I hope things get easier for you .

Mister Vain

Handkerchiefs - Reusing the same snot rag and keeping it in your pocket. Eww.

Digital Solitude

I don't get the hype around New Years Like who actually cares

YungKeo

Wearing any sort of sandals while not at the beach.

YungKeo

Digital Solitude wrote: »

I don't get the hype around New Years Like who actually cares

My family own a pub so I used to spend every New Year's working there, as a result I despise the holiday.

dr.fuzzenstein

YungKeo wrote: »

Wearing any sort of sandals while not at the beach.

It works in countries where the temperature would normally be over 30 degrees for more than 2-3 days every 4-5 years. In a country where it's normally 10 degrees in summer and 5 in winter with constant rain, it's indeed pointless. Just as shorts and t-shirts, convertibles, garden furniture, tents or barbecues.

iguana

tomwaterford wrote: »

Eating food with the fork/knife in the left hand

I always have to put down at least one to either do the cutting with my right hand (holding with fork in left)....but no way in jaysus could I use the fork in my left hand to eat...,always have to put knife down again to eat
(Is actually worse than it sounds...esp if somewhere fancy/Xmas parties etc)


I refuse to believe I'm alone in this struggle

Apparently the Americans consider the 'correct' way of using cutlery to be European and in the past spies posing as Americans have been caught out because they eat with the fork in the left hand, knife on the right. Most Americans, apart from the upper class WASPy types eat with the fork in the right hand and mostly use the side of the fork for cutting their food.

KKkitty

Maths used to be grand til letters were added to it. I can't plait my own hair. I can't do nice make up on myself or anyone else.

Arbiter of Good Taste

iguana wrote: »

Apparently the Americans consider the 'correct' way of using cutlery to be European and in the past spies posing as Americans have been caught out because they eat with the fork in the left hand, knife on the right. Most Americans, apart from the upper class WASPy types eat with the fork in the right hand and mostly use the side of the fork for cutting their food.

I grew up in America and still visit a lot. I have never seen seen anyone use the side of a fork to cut food unless it's something like cake.

Arbiter of Good Taste

Robsweezie wrote: »

I've come across these terms recently myself. My understanding is left wing is conservative, liking things as they are. Right wing is more liberal, louder and outspoken on topics like abortion, being pro choice.

Not in this universe