What Is Something That You Tried But Just Weren’t Good At (Or Didn’t Like)?

Lifesaving—I took the course but couldn’t rescue the burly lifeguard instructor. I tried but was making both of us sink. I tend to sink anyway and when lugging a person twice my size, I just can’t do it. I will think of other ways to help if someone is having distress in the water but I’m not really a strong enough swimmer to rescue another adult—perhaps a small, light child.

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Lol, reminds me of my lifesaving class. One kid had mighty struggles with the surface dives to haul up weights from the bottom of the pool. Just floated upside down like a bobber with his feet flailing in the air. He had however an easy time on the timed back float. He could probably eat lunch off a platter on his stomach.

Yes. My school had that requirement. My doctor wrote a note to get me exempt from it. I couldn’t have passed the test.

Also had to pass a swim test for college, was super glad to tackle that during freshman orientation.

Thankfully, I did not have to swim in HS or college, but our son had to pass survival swimming at West Point:

He actually enjoyed this—especially the full-gear, head-down trip down the high-slide tube in total darkness into a pool with simulated battle field effects. Nothing like machine gun fire to ruin a nice swim.

I’m a middling swimmer but, like @oldfort, I’ll have to rely on my kid to save me.

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GD1 started swim lessons at 6 months and is quite proficient now. She probably could save me.

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Having patience. I’ve tried lots of things, but I get bored and never stick with anything. I’ve tried learning to play four instruments:
Clarinet in fifth grade (hated having to sit forever while the band director met with each instrument section),
Trumpet in college - I actually liked it and my instructor even asked me to join the school’s marching band but I was an introvert, so…
Guitar as an adult - this one I really had no knack for.
Drums as an adult - I had rhythm, actually could read the music pretty well (each line is a different drum of the drum set) but again I just petered out.

I’m terrible at running/hiking (even though I spent years working outdoors), speaking in public, creative writing, Spelling Bee, and any math above remedial algebra. I like hikes on level ground but I don’t have the cardiovascular endurance to enjoy anything more.

I was a pretty good skier, but wanted to try snowboarding. It almost killed me. Falling on a snowboard is much different than when skiing!

Tried to learn Chinese by age 50. I’m 62.

Finally I tried going down a slide headfirst on my stomach. I was five and lost a tooth.

I am/was good at lots of things: bball, softball, golf, tennis, gymnastics, drawing, planning trips, opening jars (I’m the family jar opener).

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I’m a good swimmer but I absolutely hate to put my face in the water unless I have a snorkel mask on. So I swim with my head above water when we are on vacation in Hawaii.

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The swimming test discussion brought back the memory of having to jump in the water fully clothed and tread water for 10 (can’t remember the exact time) minutes as part of earning the canoeing badge in Girl Scouts. And I was good at treading water! The other girls were tired or dropping out and I felt like I could keep going.

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Amen. I have planned the last few Caribbean vacations around the daily (planned) snorkeling spots.

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Skiing for sure! We still take family ski trips and my husband still tries to get me on the slopes but once I determined “nope” it just isn’t me nor is it worth the angst surrounding me, I have enjoyed every ski vacation since then by sipping hot cocoa or Irish coffee by the warming hut fire watching my family swish down the mountains. Breckenridge, Vail, Banff, Lake Louise - all great winter resorts without skiing. I do LOVE snowmobiling though!

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Of all the random things - I can’t peel oranges. Technically I know how, but I get so weirdly neurotic about pieces of orange getting stuck under my nails and hurting that I just can’t do it. My kids didn’t know people peeled oranges until they were in elementary school, they thought they were always served in wedges with the skin on…

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I don’t like peeling oranges either so I, too, have always served them in wedges with the skin on. I don’t think I’ve ever seen our son peel an orange either, too much work.

My husband uses a tea spoon (think of these teeny real teaspoons) to peel oranges. He is really good at it. I much prefer satsumas! :laughing:

Add me to that list.

I can peel an orange; I just won’t. It’s too messy. My hands get all sticky. Nope. Not gonna do it.

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I had to take a PE class in college and passing a swimming test was a part of that PE class. We had to jump into the deep end of the pool and swim the length of the pool. If we either refused to do that or couldn’t make it then the instructor added swim lessons to our PE activities load.

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Orange smiles. No peeling. Slice sort of thin and then cut the slices in half. :tangerine:

I used to have one of these at my desk at work. (You can find similar elsewhere, cheaper) https://www.amazon.com/Tupperware-Peeler-for-Oranges-Citrus/

Replaces the knife and spoon combo my husband likes to use:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYGTYG3L

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I feel like I have found my people. :blush:. My husband seriously laughs at my unwillingness to peel an orange, I honestly thought I was the only one out there who hated it.

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