This week’s Ten on Tuesday topic, “10 Things You’re Really Good At,” is the kind of topic I find difficult to address. While I was thinking about it earlier in the week, Meg Fowler posed some related musings on Twitter:

megfowler: here’s a question: which is more your style, self-promotion or self-deprecation? and why?

megfowler: do you think self-promotion = arrogance? and self-deprecation = humility/down to earth?

megfowler: i find the bias that people attach to those ideas really interesting. i grew up with that, though: you can’t say you’re good at something.

megfowler: it’s the lightning bolt theory: if you’re the tallest thing in a field, you’re going to get struck.

I grew up with similar thinking, and self-deprecation is definitely more my style than self-promotion. Accepting compliments (modestly) was OK, but bringing up your accomplishments was bragging, and you could expect to be taken down for being an attention-seeker, at the very least. It’s been a hard thing for me to get around, although I think I have gotten better about it in recent years; I’ve gotten better about a lot of things concerning self-acceptance since entering my 40’s. (And even now, saying that, I expect to hear someone tell me, “Oh, you have not.”)

So, taking all of that into consideration, here’s my list of “10 Things I’m Really Good At Pretty Good At Most Some of the Time.” These are in no special order, but given the preceding disclaimer, it seems appropriate that #1 on the list is

1. Knowing my limits. I try to plan carefully, allow time, and not get in over my head. It doesn’t always work, though.

2. Being a mom. I was pretty young when I originally got the job, but for the most part, it’s been the one domain of my life where I haven’t experienced huge amounts of self-doubt. That sense of comfort has also helped me transition into being a stepmom.

3. Trivia games. For years, I was the family champion at Trivial Pursuit, and I enjoy playing along with Jeopardy! on TV. It actually puts all that crap cluttering up my brain to practical use every now and then.

4. Wheel! of! Fortune! My husband is good at it too. In fact, we periodically talk about trying to get on the show during a couples’/teams week. My problem is that I get so focused on trying to solve the puzzles quickly that I might mess up our chances at “big money! big money!”

5. Cooking. I’m not the most adventurous person in the kitchen, but I’m comfortable experimenting and like to test out new recipes, as long as they don’t look too involved. My stepson thinks I’m good enough to compete on Iron Chef America.

6. Writing. Doing it well is one of my goals, every day, right here.

7. Singing. I’m certainly not professional grade, but I think I have a decent ear, and I’m usually able to carry a tune in the proverbial bucket. One of my secret (well, up till right now) ambitions was to sing commercial jingles. Elder Nephew made his First Communion this past weekend, and I realized again that one of the (very few, to be honest) thingsI miss about church attendance is singing.

8. Reading a map/planning a route. I mentioned a few weeks ago that one of my quirks is not liking to drive new places at night. I actually don’t like driving anywhere unfamiliar, day or night, without detailed directions and a map – and I am quite good about using them.

9. Snarky comments. I’m probably not as good at this as I think I am, but I really don’t let much of what I observe around me go by without a remark or two.

10. Reading. I’m not sure a person can actually claim to be good at reading – at least not after they’ve mastered basic skills in the early grade-school years – but since I’m never without a book in progress, I’m going to claim it anyway.

Since that list wasn’t all that easy for me to come up with, here’s a bonus: “5 Things I Suck At.” I am sorry to say that this one was easier, and only partly because it has half as many items:

1. Remembering anything I don’t write down. One more reason for blogging!

2. Making phone calls, especially to people I don’t know. E-mail and chat are my favorite alternatives.

3. Small talk at parties and in social situations. I’m quite sure this is a factor in my “networking” issues.

4. Parking a car in a narrow space. This is one reason I prefer to drive a small car.

5. Talking myself up! (I think I already touched on that earlier in this post…)

You know that Tall Paul sometimes likes to join in on the meme-fest around here, and he played this week’s Ten on Tuesday as well (and independently of me, he decided to do a “not so good” list too).

1. Making people laugh – Usually on purpose, but not always.

2. Photography – I’m good at it, but not great.

3. Being a Dad – I am a devoted father. I love to talk to and play with my kids. I believe in teaching them (and teaching them the reason for) self-discipline. I have never spanked them, nor have I ever needed to. Manners, compassion and great grades… I, but not just me, must be doing something right! (This is honestly one of the things I love most about my husband!)

4. Being a good husband – Just ask wife number 2!

5. Learning from my mistakes – Just ask wife number 2! There is nothing wrong with making a mistake (OK, “Oops, I didn’t know it was loaded. What should we do with the body?” IS wrong), the sin is in not learning from your mistakes.

6. Problem solving – “Move the thing, and the other thing!”

7. Driving/Riding a Motorcycle – Although I hate driving in traffic. Nothing takes the fun out of motoring than having to do it at 15 MPH.

8. Working with tools/fixing stuff – I miss my garage.

9. Target shooting – I know that the owning and using firearms is not a popular subject, but I have enjoyed target shooting (NOT hunting) from a very young age. (This is totally his thing. I am not involved and do not participate, but I will note that he is very responsible about it.)

10. Organization – Having a system and place for everything makes it easy to find stuff, but, it also makes you crazy when you can’t find something that should be in its place.

For kicks: 10 Things I’m NOT Really Good At.

1. Dancing – I have 3 left feet.

2. Singing – I can’t even stand the sound of my speaking voice!

3. Keeping my mouth shut – When I feel I have something to offer, I like to speak my mind.

4. Avoiding food that is not good for me – Mmmmm, donuts!

5. Riding in a car – Since I get motion sickness, I can’t do much in a car other than drive. Short distances are OK, but I would much rather be behind the wheel.

6. Tolerating A**holes – Their being an A**hole bugs me more than it bugs them. That’s just not fair!

7. Hiding my feelings – ”Of course not. Why would you think I was upset with you, sh*thead?”

8. Lying – Like my son, I cannot look you in the face and lie. Wait, that’s not true, I can if I am playing a joke/trick on you. I can do it for laughs, but too much guilt otherwise.

9. Keeping in touch – It’s usually better if you keep in touch with me. But then, you usually don’t.

10. Not worrying – I almost put this on the “Really Good At” list, but it is not a good thing. I worry about my wife, my kids, the fact that I have nothing to worry about (DAM*IT! There must be something wrong!).

So what are a few – or ten – things that you’re really good at? If you played Ten on Tuesday this week, please leave a link to your post in your comment!

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