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As a child, whenever you had a problem, you most likely went to your parents or some other adult to solve it. But as you grew up, you learned how to do things on your own. Part of being an adult is having a grasp on certain basic life skills - however, as it turns out, not every life lesson is as basic to one person as it is to the next.

The New York Times editor Jenee Desmond-Harris recently shared on Twitter her landlord's unexpected know-how blindspot, and then asked the internet to share their own. People delivered all sorts of hilarious answers, and some of them you might be able to relate to - from social skills such a the dreaded small talk to vital work skills. Scroll down to check out some of the best responses, and don't forget to upvote your faves! And don't forget to let us know in the comments, which seemingly simple things you've missed along the way.

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athornedrose
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

coming from a big immigrant italian family, i have the worst time scaling down recipes. everything was made to feed the whole clan. making food for like 2 people is insanely difficult for me.

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Whether it’s tying our shoes, correctly reading the face of a clock or learning to swim, we’ve all had a bit of trouble getting to grips with certain important (and elementary) life skills. Some people even find basic things like fixing the plumbing or driving a car to be — well — basic. But there’s plenty of us have a lot more trouble, because we might be afraid (a lot of us may have panicked the first time we went to a community pool) or we simply might have had no need for a particular skill (we may prefer getting around by bike rather than by car if we live in busy cities).

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Jonathon Smith
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes I think I've nailed this adulting lark and am now a fully formed member of the human race. Then I try talking to a stranger and realise all I've done is cocoon myself in friends who don't mind talking about D&D 24/7

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We all know the adage that it takes about 10,000 hours to learn a new skill. However, that’s not entirely true. Josh Kaufman, known for his inspiring TED talk and author of the book ‘The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything… Fast!’, has a very different idea.

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Lousha
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The + sign has a bump on it. The positive side of the battery is also the one with the bump. The - sign is flat. The negative end of a battery is flat as well. You're welcome!

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#6

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Stevie
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once directed my friend in a car and we nearly ended up in another country....

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According to Kaufman, the so-called 10,000 rule has been misinterpreted by the vast majority of people for quite some time now. He notes that 10,000 hours is the average it takes to become “an expert in an ultra competitive field”, which is far from the same thing as learning a new skill This is good news for most of us!

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Ronel du Plessis
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me too!!! I feel so dumb some times. Living in South Africa I speak Afrikaans. I call kids "pampoen" which means pumpkin. Or "piesang" which means banana. I get away with it because the kids in my karate dojo thinks it is funny. don't think adults would thinks it's funny.

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Kaufman states that to get from “knowing nothing to being pretty good” takes a far shorter amount of time: barely 20 hours. That’s more or less practicing something for 45 minutes every day for around a month. Doesn’t seem so scary, does it? Of course, you can’t multitask while trying to learn a new skill — you need to focus on it exclusively.

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AnnaB
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Years ago my sister and I were taking a walk in our neighborhood and someone asked for directions to the local library. After he drove off, we realized that the directions we gave were totally wrong. We joke that to this day, you can see a rusty old car being driven by a skeleton...still looking for that library.

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Daria B
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The trick is to inhale with your mouth when out of water, slowly exhale through your nose while in the water. You can help yourself with humming while in the water.

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Pseudo Puppy
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me too!! It's the side effect of my mother's friend terrifying me as a kid (for "fun"), by telling me that she saw a kid get their foot caught in the escalator & had it chewed off. She told me every time we went to go on an escalator. It's now an ingrained instinct, despite me logically knowing it's nonsense.

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#15

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Paul K. Johnson
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fitted sheets are supposed to be folded? I just wad them up in a ball and stuff them in the linen closet.

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Daria B
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Riding a bike is not easy. Unlike most people I know, I'll admit, I learnt it as a young adult. And I'm so grateful for it, such a useful skill to have.

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Ronel du Plessis
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

LOL!!! I have no sense of direction. Will get lost in my own house ;-/, but time and distance... no one can beat me at that.

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Steve Barnett
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I cannot say 'similarly'. It always comes out as similarily, similaly, similarlarily etc.

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Oerff On Tour
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a problem with converting the 24h clock to 12h. Keep messing up 5 o'clock (1700h) and 7 o'clock

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Gary
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had an instructor like that, I dumped him and found a new one. Passed my test first time.

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Bumblebee
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can blow up balloons, but get light-headed pretty fast. Can't whistle. And as for wrapping gifts: people can always pick out which presents I wrapped. Or if it was wrapped by me. It looks messy and tons of tape is used!

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BusLady
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've never learned how, but I have good memories of my grandfather whistling for us kids.

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Tenay Douglas
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to whistle like a GOD in middle school.......five years later and I look like I'm making the duck face

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Bunzilla
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually whistled as a baby. Confused the hell out of everyone, and nobody believed my mom that I was the one doing it xD

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Marty BlackEagle-Carl
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i cant whistle any more either, i could when i was younger, dont know when i lost the skill, just cant now.

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Drive Bee
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I want to learn to whistle so bad. I've tried every tutorial but still can't make a real whistle.

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daisydiamond
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't wrap presents, can't blow up balloons and can sort of whistle.....

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Bored Bitch
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people have genetics and are missing a piece of their throat to be able to whistle like me you can whistle onwards and it works though

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John Montgomery
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to only be able to whistle while sucking in air. Now I can do it the proper way. The weird part is I don't remember when I learned it. I just noticed one day I could do it. Perhaps playing trombone in band for five years?

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Brianna
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't whistle.. Neither can my mother, perhaps it's hereditary?

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Eleanor Orser
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some days I can whistle and try again 5 mins later and nothing. Totally hit and miss

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Foxyloxylou
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i cant whistle either...actually, i can, but only a short little one that you would use to call a dog

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K Miller
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I manage to whistle, it's one note. No whistling tunes for moi

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NQ L
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So how can you not blow up balloon? Hold it and blow. Right?

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Susan Forbes
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It helps a lot if you stretch the balloon out and do a hard initial blow, then inflate more gently

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Daria B
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can wrap presents pretty nicely. I cannot blow up baloons either. I can only whistle inwards.

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Henry Saravia-Melara
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

can blow balloons,but can't try them.Also, the best whistler in the family, but can't whistler like you would to a dog

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Cindy Naismith
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't whistle either. My husband can whistle and you can hear it a mile away. I have tried and tried...no luck

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Nycole Lattin
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can't wrap either. As long as the damn thing is covered, enjoy unwrapping 3 layers of wrapping paper and 2 rolls of tape. Merry Christmas!

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Mer
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't blow up balloons but that's because it hurts my ears.

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Susann Campbell
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just read everyone's can't do it and mark down something like, " me " like I have been doing.

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Jewels Vern
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How to wrap a present: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNqc2yWZztE

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Mascha Claessens
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha, that's the opposite to my dad. He can ONLY float. Like, on his back with both his knees AND shoulders above the water. We've often joked that he has hollow bones, like a bird.

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PaulV
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, "deductible" sounds like something you *don't* have to pay. And "premium" sounds like something good, but the whole thing is doubly confusing: pay a higher premium (oh no!) to get a lower monthly (oh...kay?). It's like being asked to choose the way you would like to get screwed.

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Katie Smith
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this, I learned at middle school. One of the positives of having school uniforms in the UK!

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Yettichild
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just think to myself "Write" and I automatically know which hand is right =D

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Mascha Claessens
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And that's a benefit of growing up in the Netherlands: everyone gets swimming lessons. Some of us more than others, but we all do when we're little. Too much water around not to... :P

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