Knowing what you know

Romance languages esp Spanish and Portuguese
Linguistics esp syntax but also some phonology and phonetics
Some conspiracy theories like 9/11, Sandy Hook, JFK being the three I'm most well versed in.
Ornithology and avian taxonomy
Some psychology esp Freudian, personality theory, cognitive psychology
Triple draw games like triple draw and badugi, badeucy etc

That's about it.

I would be curious to know how you acquired expertise in ornithology and avian taxonomy. That's pretty unusual.

I read a book some years back called The Biogeography and Speciation of Birds some years back that I found quite useful.

I've been a pretty avid birdwatcher for the last 10+ years and have a very large library of field guides covering specific families and regions.

I wouldn't consider myself an expert compared to the people who devote their lives to ornithology it's just been a long interest of mine.

Thanks. I knew that you hadn't devoted your life to ornithology. I was just curious.

you ever had a big year?

i know nothing about birds, but this is a recurring joke among a few friends sending random pictures of birds to each other.

I could list a bunch but what I'm actually best or thought to be best at, on paper and in reputation, I'm easily top 2% of my field. And even then I'm absolutely certain I'm overrated. Not even being humble, I could literally name a dozen associates with 10 or more years less experience capable of replacing me with maybe 7-8 weeks of effort showing them a few things.

As far as things I'm objectively good at that's a fair list, I spend a lot of time reading and leaning stuff just because. I just DIY a plumbing rough-in as first plumbing project learning from scratch-and passed inspection, random things like that. Lots of hobbies.

but a few of the things I know virtually nothing about:

Medicine and bio-anything
Muscle cars
The country of Chad
South American civilizations
Fine Art excepting music
SEO
Sneakers
types of lawn grass
What things cost at the supermarket after ~2005
Tea

And even some of these there's a chance I know a little more than a randomly selected person, but that's a really low bar. Like I could rattle off some North and S American civilizations and a handful of facts, or say I'd know who Michaelangelo was and some of his works.

I haven't. I'd probably want to try for a South American big year which I don't think has ever been attempted before.

I'd add my father-in-law is one of those people who thinks he's awesome at everything, and I honestly can't name one single thing he does well. He isn't even good as BS'ing.

Literally his life's work was in a basic finance stockbroker job that he lost his license to perform. His financial "advice" is as bad as the worst top callers on Twitter, he can't cook, can't fix or build anything, and his TV consumption is like something out of Idiocracy. Old SNL episodes might be the smartest content he's absorbed. I honestly wonder how my wife came to be, they don't look alike come to think of it. He probably has a 100 IQ so not that he's unintelligent just seems unable or unwilling to apply it to anything. Like you'd think maybe he could at least handle a BBQ grill or some kind of thing like that, but nope. I bet his list would be long as hell though.

I was asking specifically about stuff that was relevant to the forum, but if people want to mention other stuff, I guess that's interesting as well.

This is true of a lot of people.

Good start to this thread... 😉

Maybe you should bold your OP that you're asking for relevant expertise. 😀 😀

I am pretty good at color... I am in the top percentile of not having any color blindness.
I know cute when I see it...
I am an expert at Cursing...

I'm good at macro perspectives. Macroeconomics, geopolitics, downstream impacts of in-line actions.

I'm not good with most everything else

I used to know I was the smartest guy in the room.
Now I know I am probably the dumbest.

I know... that I do not know it all.

skinny skiing
attending bullfights on acid

I'm somewhat knowledgeable on certain true crime cases, Ufology, the Sicilian Mafia and the Horror genre.
That's it, that's all I got.

No you're not

Well at least about certain cases you're not.

Whats you're knowledge about the Lucy letby case?

'k socky mcsock.

Washoe?

Lucy letby innocent or guilty Sherlock?

She's as innocent as Ned Flanders. Nah I'm just messing with you, she's guiltier than Jimmy Savile and her fellow baby murderer Beverly Allit combined.

Attending a bullfight on acid doesn't sound very fun.

Sup man? How's it hanging? What's happening?

I'm washing every day